Fighting Hearts
by Raven46
Summary: Fighting can often lead to harsh words and heartbreak. Unfortunately for Raven and Jack their hearts are broken to a point where one has to leave in order to heal.RR Chap7-"Raven's in da refuge." FINISHED
1. Violent End

#  
  
Disclaimer: sadly I own none of the newsies, well maybe Jack hehe  
  
Jack: Ya don't own me.... Disney does  
  
I can dream can't I?  
  
*Rolls his eyes*  
  
A/N This is a one shot as of now, but if you really like it and want me to add on Tell me...REVIEW... please Well on with the Fic!  
  
All the Manhattan Newsies sat congregated in the lobby of the Manhattan Lodging house. Silence consumed the room and tension was mounted heavily in the air. All of them looked up as they heard the yelling and screaming from the bunkroom and the smash of something breaking on the floor. A boom resounded through the walls and rattled the light fixed to the ceiling.   
  
"Dey can't keep fightin like dat." Race said as he placed his hand on the coffee table.  
  
"Come on Race...You know that by Tamarrah everyt'in will be back ta normal and Jack an' Ravy will be back ta huggin an' kissin." Mush protested shoving the money from the game at Race.  
  
"Wishful t'inkin Mush... When was da last time dat happened? When was da last time dey truly solved a fight huh? When was da last time dey was really happy tagethah?" Skittery intercepted the money and placed his full house on the table. Race groaned. They stopped immediately as they heard more arguing from upstairs but this time it was louder and more forceful.   
  
"I DON'T GET WHAT THIS IS ABOUT RAVEN!" Jack yelled in rage three inches from the girl's face.  
  
"'A COURSE YA DON'T YA NEVAH KNOW! JACK SOMETIMES YOUR SO DUMB WHEN IT COMES TA US! I WISH I COULD JUST SHOVE DA INFORMATION INTA YER PUNY LITTLE BRAIN!" Raven yelled back her dark chocolate eyes widening in anger.   
  
"SHUT YA TRAP RAVY YA STUPID WHORE!" Raven flung herself onto Jack and knocked him to the floor where they began wrestling.   
  
The boys downstairs jumped up at the loud thud and shuddered knowing that whatever had been said was pretty bad to cause that noise.   
  
Raven and Jack continued to wrestle showing no mercy. Jack grabbed her shining auburn waves in his hand and they flung into a nearby bunk, which stopped the wrestling. The screaming and arguing then continued but louder and angrier. Harsh cruel words flung out of their mouths, things they would regret, causing more harm than they would acknowledge.   
  
"I HATE YA FRANCIS SULLIVAN!" Raven screamed.  
  
"GOOD CUZ YA MAKE MY LIFE A LIVIN HELL! GO BACK TA DA STREET CORNAHS WHERE YA BELONG YA TWO BIT WHORE!" Jack then proceeded to take two bits from his pocket and fling them into Raven's face. She looked at him hurt and shocked.  
  
"DAT'S RIGHT RAVEN TAKE YER DAMN PAYMENT FA ALL DA NIGHTS A SERVICE!" She quickly gathered up the money and flung it back at him, she quickly spit in his face. Jack grabbed her shoulders and slammed her into the bunk.  
  
"FUCK YOU! I'D RADDAH BE A WHORE DEN EVAH LET YA TOUCH ME AGAIN!" As if in slow motion Jack released a hand from her shoulder and slammed it full force into her cheek. Raven's head snapped to the side and she grabbed her cheek with her hand. She turned slowly back to him with tears in her eyes and a shocked expression on her face.  
  
"Ravy..." Jack trailed off quietly and he went to reach out to her. She scrambled away from him and ran into the washroom. Jack looked down at the floor and rammed his fist into the bunk before him.   
  
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Raven stepped into the silent bunkroom and gazed at the sleeping newsies around her. She headed silently over to Jack's bunk and slipped in as she did every night. Jack felt her up against him and opened his unsleeping eyes. He waited and listened to her breathing steady and for the signs of sleep to set in. When he was certain she was asleep for the night he silently edged out of bed and walked over to her side. He watched her angelic face and grabbed every feature to his memory. He let her deep auburn silken waves slip through his fingers and tried to memorize the texture and deep color. He untied his dirty worn out red bandana from around his neck, kissed it, and placed it in her hands. He studied her again and locked his eyes on the deep purple bruise that formed on her cheek. He bent over her and tenderly kissed it before exiting the bunkroom and the lodging house. Raven stirred and felt in her hands Jack's bandana.  
  
"Jack?" She got out of bed and retreated to the window. She exited out onto the fire escape and saw Jack Kelley's strong form slowly walking down the street. His hands in his pockets and eyes staring at the cobblestones. She crumpled his bandana in her hands and held it up to her chin. She began to sing in a haunting lovesick tone that chilled the streets of New York.   
  
"Santa Fe  
  
Yer old friend  
  
Ya can't spend yer whole life hidin  
  
It's da only light dat's guidin you taday  
  
I will keep a candle boinin   
  
ta help ya find yer way  
  
Its yer chance ta break free an' who knows when yer next one will be." Then whispered so softly and heartbroken she sang the last line to the wind praying that one day it will come true.  
  
"Bring him back ta me." She reached out her hand to his departing form as a single chilly tear ran smoothly down her face starting the lonely rivers of sadness that began to flow down her cheeks. She let her arm drop as she crawled back inside.   
  
Jack looked up and saw her retreated form and dropped his head. He continued on his way to the train yards, to Santa Fe.   
  
At this moment the two lovers relinquished to their broken hearts and watched each other leave in the darkness. The darkness consumed their empty hearts that became voids of pain. Jack watched his heart slip away through an open window and Raven watched hers crumble slowly every step he took until it shattered to the floor in ashes and blew away into the night carried by the light wind.   
  
OK now please review and tell me what you think, like...don't like tell all! click the little review button...I'm thinking of continuing this but I need you guys to decide what you think first if enough of you like It I will continue...WOOOO! 


	2. Forgetting an Outlaw

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Hey everyone!!! OK I've decided to continue this Fic of mine.....SHOUTS WOOOOOO  
  
Demon: WOOOOO! Yea I know Jack really lost it on Ravy this time....tired of fighting and well that was the last straw.  
  
Jack: I didn't mean ta hit ya  
  
SHADDUP AND GET ON DA DAMN TRAIN ASSHOLE!  
  
Oracle: I know its depressing so sorry...but me and Jack are always fighting lol *pops a happy pill* see happy *smiles crazily*   
  
*takes chocolate covered newsies and pops one into her mouth* HEY THOSE ARE YUMMY!  
  
Swifty: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH SHE ATE ME!!!!!!  
  
I'm enjoyin it to Swift *chomps slowly*  
  
MsJonyReb: Here's more just for you!!!!!  
  
ON WITH THE SHOW!.....  
  
Raven leaned against the wall for support clutching Jack's bandana tightly, her knuckles turning white against the dirty red. She slumped slowly to the ground as crystalline streaks downed her face silently. Her body started shaking violently as the sobs overtook her. Pure pain and sadness encompassed her body as she curled her knees to her chest in an attempt to shield herself from her own tears.   
  
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Jack stopped and watching silently as the train pulled into the station. He looked around carefully and hopped into one of the dusty cars.  
  
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Sunlight streamed into the bunkroom and lit up the dusty wooden floor, leaving a path of gold on the wood grains. Heavy steps were heard climbing the steps slowly and deliberately making Raven sob harder with each pounding step, to her it felt as though her heart was ripping each time the sound came closer. The harsh realty that Jack had really left her settling in her soul with each stomp on the rickety wooden stairs.   
  
"UP!!! BOYS UP!!!!!" Kloppman yelled at the top of his lungs. Each boy groaned and moved slowly in their bunk. Raven lifted her head quickly and turned to Jack's bunk...their bunk, no movement, and no noise. She jumped up quickly and dashed into the washroom, slamming the door behind her. Every single boy jumped at the sound of the door and Kloppman stopped his morning ritual. Race sat up and looked to Jack's bunk....empty....empty? wait that can't be right....why would Jack's bunk be empty?  
  
"BLINK!" Race kicked the mattress above him and Blink groaned. "BLINK GET UP!" Kid Blink flopped his head over the side and scowled at Race.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL DO YA WANT RACE!" Blink said angrily.  
  
"Do a double check at Jack's bunk would ya? He ain't dere is 'e?" Race nodded his head over in the direction of Jack's bunk. Blink did as asked and his eyes widened at the realization.  
  
"Race........he's gone!" Race nodded. "GUYS! JACK'S GONE!" Blink called to the room, everyone dropped what they were holding and froze. Gone?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack stood by the door of the railway car and studied it closely. Hay was littering the floor and a smell of horse manure hung in the air. He turned his head to a corner of the box and saw two men sitting there drinking and playing cards. Poker, he thought to himself, Boy would Race love this. Jack took a seat in the corner across from them and sat down hiding himself in the darkness. The dark...almost like her eyes, like Raven's eyes. Her Face came clearly to him then, with a shining smile, lighting up her outstanding features, creating an angelic halo about her. He leaned his head against the scratchy wood, closing his eyes and a tear rolled down his chiseled cheek. He could actually sense her broken heart, her pain matching that of his own. He could smell her hair, he could feel it brushing against him, creating small goose bumps on his skin. He opened his sad brown eyes and the reality smacked him in the face, she wasn't there, she wasn't leaning against him whispering in his ear, kissing his neck softy, he couldn't talk to her, he would never see his beloved again.   
  
"Hey Kid!" One of the men called to him from the other side of the room. Jack turned his head to them and stared.  
  
"Yea you...that's right"  
  
"Listen I ain't in a chatty mood...undahstand." Jack said coldly to the blonde haired stranger .  
  
"Hey...just tryin to find out about the new arrival" the man's blue eyes shot into him dangerously.  
  
"Well don't do me any favors." Jack shot back "Come on Colin...Lay off, can't ya tell he's upset, leave him alone." The stranger's dark haired companion spoke up, not removing his eyes from his poker cards.   
  
"Just tryin to talk to the kid Jesse." Colin looked to Jesse.  
  
"Well don't, if he wanted to talk to ya he would have." Jesse replied.  
  
"Where yous goin?" Jack asked, turning his body to face them.  
  
"Santa Fe......Can't wait to get back" Jesse answered.  
  
"My luck, that's where I'se headin"  
  
"I can tell your a kid who can take the west....unless your heart is in New York."   
  
"What do ya mean 'eart?" Jesse and Colin both laughed.  
  
"Listen kid...your heartbroken, I can see it, I've been there, You never leave your heart behind and expect to move on." Jesse continued.  
  
"If ya leave your heart...you become an outlaw." Colin said smartly.  
  
"Shut up Colin!" Jesse snapped.  
  
"Outlaw?" Jack questioned. Colin tossed Jack a beer which he caught and snapped open.   
  
"Yea outlaw...like Jesse James."   
  
"Shut up Colin!" Jesse repeated. Jack chugged some of his beer and watched the two warily.  
  
"What's your name kid?"  
  
"Jack Kelly."  
  
"He's an outlaw alright." Colin assured himself. Jesse laughed.  
  
"Yea Colin like Jesse James." Jesse said drinking a beer as well.  
  
"Like you" Jack then realized who he was talking to, it couldn't be, why would he be all the way in New York.  
  
"Your Jesse James?"  
  
"Look what you did Colin, scared the shit outta him."   
  
"Your no fun Jesse James, he ain't scared, just lookin for adventure right Jack Kelly."  
  
"Yea...I think it's time to leave my 'eart behind." The three of them clanked their beers together and smiled at each other.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Raven locked herself in the lavatory and wouldn't come out. She sat leaning against the door.   
  
"Ravy! Open up, Ya gotta come outta dere!" Race said as he pounded on the door along with Kid Blink, Mush, Skittery and a few others.  
  
"GO THE FUCK AWAY!" She screamed through the door and flung the toilet paper over the wall. It clonked Mush in the head. They continued pounding on the door, until finally Raven shoved the door open and the toppled inside.   
  
"There pee all ya want!" She hurried over to counter where all the bathroom needs were held and walked over to Jack's space. She looked at her face in the mirror, it was sunken in slightly and pale, her eyes were red and puffy and dark circles hung underneath. Her lack of sleep and crying had taken a toll on her exotic appearance. She opened her palm and stared at the bandana.   
  
"Jack..." She whispered quietly to herself. She covered her face with it,sucked in his smell as new tears wet the course fabric. She wrapped the bandana around her auburn hair and tied it securely underneath. She smoothed her waves with her fingers. Her new kerchief let her hair flow through the gaping hole. She wiped her eyes and strode out of the washroom.  
  
"ANY ONE OF YA SAY JACK KELLY IN MY PRESENCE AN' YA DIE!" The boys stared at her and nodded. She walked out of the bunkroom and ran out of the lodging house taking him the air of the day. The weather was uncharacteristic of the mood of the Manhattan newsie population. Sunny and bright contrasting with their Rainy and gray.   
  
WOOOOOO!!!! NEW CHAPPY DONE! Next step for you...REVIEW! please *smiles hopefully* yep that little button right down there, click and type.....haha 


	3. Santa Fe

WOOOOO!!! I'm back hehe  
  
Demon: Jack is gonna get into loads of trouble keep readin you'll see  
  
MsJonyReb: Oh yea loads of trouble comin in pretty soon....Jack is an ass....he doesn't know what's in store for him hehe  
  
Jack: wait...what!?  
  
ssshhhh cant tell you what's gonna happen  
  
Jack: RAVEN!  
  
*laughs* I can't wait to torture you hehe  
  
AND HERE WE GO!  
  
The train rattled violently on the tracks, the city skyline disappearing slowly turning into prairie lands and then into dusty desert. Jack stood and slid the door of the car open a crack and watched the tumbleweeds blow by.   
  
"Welcome to Santa Fe, New Mexico kid." Jesse said stepping over to Jack clamping a hand on his shoulder. Jack smiled as he watched the old western town come into view.   
  
"Should we wake up sleepy ovah dere...or leav 'im on da train?" Jack asked.  
  
"Leave him." Jack and Jesse laughed.  
  
"COLIN GET UP! SANTA FE! WAKE UP!" Jesse called to Colin's sleeping form. Colin grumbled in his sleep and turned over. Jack shook his head and picked up an empty beer bottle from the floor. He threw it at the wall above Colin's head and it smashed. Colin jumped up quickly and yelled.  
  
"Ya sound like a little goil! Get up we'se heah." Jack said.   
  
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Raven ran into the lodging house smiling broadly, suddenly her face fell when she realized Jack wouldn't be waiting for her with open arms and a kiss. All the boys turned to her with looks of sadness on their faces. She stared at them at a loss for words.   
  
"Ravy..." Race began to speak to her but she shook her head and tore up the stairs into the bunkroom. She climbed up on Jack's bunk and curled into a ball. She let more tears fall freely from her eyes and her body continued to shake from the harsh sobs.   
  
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Jack, Colin, and Jesse hopped out of the dusty train car and walked slowly to the town. As they passed by strangers, Jack could here their whispers and see them staring. The almost silent conversations bringing word that the outlaw Jesse James was back in town. Jesse led them right past the sheriff's office and past all the buildings. They continued on until they reached a makeshift hideout far away from the activity of the town. Entering the hideout Jack saw the younger gang wanted posters lining the walls and all the newspaper clippings about their infamous bad ways. He noticed Jesse's wanted poster on the wall to the right and walked over to study it closely.   
  
"Jack someday you'll have one of those to add to that wall..." Colin said lighting a cigarette and plopping down into one of the old rusty chairs.   
  
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Weeks dragged on, slowly and painfully for Raven, everyone knew Jack had been gone at least a month now, but to her it felt like an eternity. She continued to lie on his bunk and cry. By now every one of the newsies had gotten used to the sound and had given up on trying to make her stop her tears.  
  
"Raven....Ya gotta get up....ya gotta eat something...come on!" Oracle walked over to Raven. She just turned over on her other side and stared at the wall through the blurry haze of tears.   
  
"Ya can't keep on like dis ya know...He ain't comin back! Get ovah it! He left ya....dat don't mean dat you gotta withah away intah nothin!" Oracle yelled at her. Raven opened her eyes wide and stared at her.  
  
"DAT'S ENOUGH ORACLE! SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!" Blink yelled from across the room. Oracle strode over to him and punched him in the face before leaving the bunkroom. Swifty got up and glared at Blink before following her out the door.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack stood in the telegraph office thinking of what to put down on the paper. Suddenly the words came to her and he hurriedly scribbled them down.  
  
"KELLY LETS GO! HURRY UP!" Jesse yelled from his horse outside. Jack tossed the message to the clerk and strode out of the office. He jumped on his Jet-Black stallion and looked at Jesse.  
  
"Happy, I finished!" Jack growled.  
  
"Alright! LET'S RIDE!" Colin yelled and kicked his horse and galloped off. Jack and Jesse followed suit and the three of them rode into the night.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A loud banging was heard on the door.   
  
"GO AWAY I'SE BUSY!" He went back to kissing the girl on his bed. She flung her arms around him in mad passion as the embrace got more heated.  
  
The pounding continued, and he flopped on his back aggravated with the boy behind the door.  
  
"WHAT DAT HELL DO YA WANT!?" He boomed.   
  
"OPEN DA DOOR! SPOT IT'S A MESSAGE FROM KELLY!" The girl on the bed sat up quickly.   
  
"Why would Jack send you a message when he's right in Manhattan?"   
  
"How da hell would I know Jackal!?" She flopped back on the bed with an angry sigh. Spot got up and flung the door open.  
  
"Give it here!" The boy hurriedly handed over the message and ran into the bunkroom. Spot slammed the door behind him and sat on the edge of the bed. Jackal slid her legs around him and kissed his shoulder, hugging his body tightly to her. Spot jumped up with his eyes wide.  
  
"WHAT!?" He yelped.  
  
"Spot what in God's name is goin on!?"   
  
"READ DIS!!! READ IT NOW!" He shoved the paper into her hands. She held in her left hand and covered her gaping mouth with her right.   
  
"I can't believe it....."  
  
"BELIEVE IT JACKAL!" Spot started pacing the floor of his room. He grabbed a cigarette off the nightstand and lit it, taking a long, hard drag.   
  
Spot Conlon,  
  
In Santa Fe, Left month ago, met up with.........., Fine.  
  
Jack Kelly  
  
Tell Rave..................................................................................  
  
A/N the long dots are words that Jack crossed out in the message to Spot......Just thought you should know. OH and REVIEW Puhleeeeese 


	4. Mixing Past and Reality

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DISCLAIMER! Tabloid own Oracle, and Jackal owns herself......forgot the disclaimer hehe  
  
SHOUTOUTS!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!  
  
Amazon: ORACLE IS AWESOME. Cept she is really mad at Jack and is scared for me....:(  
  
HeavnzHelper: Colin I made up...I know bad me, I should have used Cole Younger but I decided not too. Don't know why really. I figured since I wasn't historically accurate anyway why not make up my own character? Haha I know I'm a little twisted lol  
  
Aurora: Maybe I'll give you some of their history in this chappy? hmmmmmmm...... ok sry just thinking. OH and Jack is in Santa Fe...loser, he's actually in the West he's gonna be movin around a lot with Jesse. Dumb Jack I could hit him.   
  
*smacks Jack in the head*  
  
*Jack grabs his head* Jack: OW! what the hell was that for?   
  
For being you!  
  
Oracle: HEYA!!!!! Listen the needle threat just ain't gonna work on me...please you know this I mean I sewed Chance's head back together come on! oh and YES you and Swifty! Jeez take some RITALIN!  
  
I CAN FLY.......  
  
"Oracle ya can't do dat ta 'er" Swifty said to his girl, looking deep into her stormy gray eyes. Oracle looked down at the floor and sighed.  
  
"She's gonna die......I don't want ta just let dat happen Swifty....she hasn't eaten nothin since he left! She nevah even leaves dat bed!" Swifty pulled Oracle close to him and hugged her tightly.   
  
"No one will let her die.....I promise...." Swifty kissed her forehead and placed a long brown tress behind her ear. She leaned her forehead against his and sighed.   
  
The lodging house door slammed open and Spot Conlon stormed up the wooden stairs to the bunkroom. Swifty and Oracle jumped apart at the harsh sound. He rushed passed them quickly. Oracle did a double take and realized that Spot wasn't in a good mood and that was bad for everyone. Spot stormed into the bunkroom thrusting the door open, causing it to slam into the wall with a resounding boom. The room fell instantly silent as Spot glared at them his piercing blue eyes swirling in a mad tornado. Everyone in the room placed their eyes firmly on Spot's not daring to look away as he began waving a piece of paper madly in the air. Swifty rushed inside the bunkroom followed by Oracle, he made an abrupt stop and she slammed into him.   
  
"SO WHEN DA HELL WAS SOMEONE GONNA TELL BROOKLYN DAT MANHATTAN'S MISSIN A LEADAH!?" The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop on the floor. The whole room flinched at Spot's rage. "WHY DID HE LEAVE!?"   
  
"SPOT SHUT UP!" Raven bolted upright with tears streaming down her face. "JUST SHUT UP! HE LEFT CUZ A ME! IT WAS ALL MY FAULT! ALL MY FAULT! WE WAS FIGHTIN AND HE HIT ME AND LEFT! ITS MY FAULT! ALL MINE!" Her voice got lower as she sobbed harder. "All mine" She whispered to the room as if on a light wind.   
  
She pulled her knees deep into her chest and covered her head over them, her body racking in sobs. Spot walked over to her slowly and pulled her into a tight hug. Her forehead rested on his chest as she sobbed her heart out. Spot just held her, not knowing what else to do. As he held her he felt her bones through her thin top. If he wanted to he could have traced a finger along her spine, feeling the contours of her bones. He griped her shoulders and pushed her arms length away.  
  
"Dis has ta stop now....." Spot placed her legs over his left arm and lifted her placing his right arm around her back , Raven wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her head onto his shoulder.   
  
"SPOT WHERE YA TAKIN HER!" Race called out to him, standing up to Spot.  
  
"Ta Brooklyn, wha? do ya object or somet'in?" Spot's eyes bored into Race's and the latter gulped and moved aside.   
  
Spot dropped the piece of paper to the floor as he strode across the bunkroom, daring anyone else to protest. All eyes in the room watched the crumpled ball of white fall to the wood floor and bounce once on the ground and then roll to a nearby bunk. Swifty and Oracle watched him from the doorway. He shoved violently past them and out of the Lodging house, holding Raven in his arms like a delicate porcelain doll that could break if cradled to tightly, or slip away from him if held too loosely, Falling to the floor smashing into small porcelain pieces, destroyed by one careless slip of a hand.   
  
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The noise of the saloon rattled annoyingly in Jack's ears as he picked up the small shot glass and downed the dry whiskey. It scratched and burned his esophagus as it traveled down it, upon arriving in his stomach he felt the acid churn and slide. The robbery of the day had made an adrenaline rush he had never known and he enjoyed it, but his merriment faded quickly when he went to the hideout and received no loving embrace from his girl.   
  
A young lady of the evening sauntered seductively over to Jack, she leaned in close to his ear and began to whisper what she could do for him that night. Jack motioned for the bartender to refill his glass, as the bartender did he smiled at the propositions the girl brought up to him, he took the glass to his lips again and after emptying it slammed it onto the bar. The girl traced her thin finger down Jack's face, he took her hand in his and led her upstairs and to his bed for the evening, doing with her what he pleased.   
  
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Jack and Raven sat alone on the rooftop together gazing at the stars as they twinkled brightly in the night's sky. Each watching them intently, shining down with a small ray of light. Raven sat in between Jack's legs leaning against him, feeling safe in his strong arms. His breathing relaxed her and made her body move up and down with its rhythm. Jack moved her deep shining waves from her neck and planted gentle kisses there. Leading them down to her collarbone. Raven moved her head to the side and turned away from him.   
  
"Ya don't want me Jack......" She whispered. Jack held her shoulder and turned her to face him.   
  
"How do ya know what I want?"   
  
"I know ya don't want someone like me....used and beaten......"Raven trailed off, not able to go on.  
  
"I know what went on in da Bronx Ravy and I don't care......I don't care what Huntah made ya do while yous was dere....All I care about is dat I love ya....Nothin else mattahs ta me, nothin." Raven lovingly placed a hand on Jack's cheek and smiled brightly, letting it light up her face like the sun shining on a hot summer day.   
  
"I love ya too Jack" She leaned in and Kissed him deeply and full of passion, sliding her hands into his hair. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, laying her down on the rooftop. He let his kisses move from her lips to her neck, trailing them down to her stomach as he undid her large men's shirt, which belonged to him. She pulled his head back up to her and kissed him again, slowly more seductively, Raven yanked his shirt off him and threw if to the side, letting it collapse in a heap on top of her own. That night the stars above them watched as they confessed their love with the motion of their bodies, the heavens seeing a vision of pure bliss between two tortured souls.  
  
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Sunlight poured over the bodies tangled in the white linen sheets. His arm slung naturally around her waist and their legs entwined. Jack blinked his eyes open dusting away the haze of sleep. He moaned lightly and shielded his eyes from the sun. He stared at the woman he bedded the night before and instead of seeing her he saw Raven, her shining locks of hair and her calm sleeping figure, but Raven was no whore, no...but before escaping her horrible fate she had been, the connection disgusted him, Raven was not a whore. Cowboy squeezed his eyes closed tightly and reopened them, this time seeing the prostitute he screwed in the night. He got of bed and dressed quickly and quietly, out of his pocket he pulled out her payment and left it on the pillow beside her bed. He exited the room letting the door slam on his way out. 


	5. Physical and Emotional

SHOUTS YEEEHAAA  
  
Paris: I'm so glad you like my fic!...I know that it is kinda graphic but hey I couldn't help it, there are some touching moments hehe. In a future chapter there will something more of their past. JUST FOR YOU!  
  
Chicago: YAY! MY FIC HAS BEEN CALLED AWESOME! hey is Jesse james really your cousin? seriously that is sooooooo cool SELF INSERTION IS AWESOME. Jack is sooooooooooooooooooooo bad.  
  
Jack: I'se not dat bad...  
  
Yea ya are.  
  
Jack: no I'se not.  
  
Yea ya are.  
  
Jack: no I'se not.  
  
AND THE ARGUING CONTINUES......  
  
Spot kicked the Brooklyn Lodging house door open and hurried inside.  
  
"JACKAL!!! Some help!" He yelled up the staircase and he began climbing quickly, Raven was shaking in his arms, the light wind reached within her thin skin and brought her to a chilling cold that Spot didn't know how to cure. Raven laid in a soft unconsciousness in his arms. Jackal burst out of Spot's room quickly, her green eyes flashed with worry.  
  
"HOLY SHIT! What happened ta her?" Jackal cried.  
  
"No time ta explain now..." He shoved through the open doorway and into his private washroom. Jackal followed close behind, her long blonde hair trailing behind almost like a golden curtain. Spot took off his shirt and wrapped Raven in it as added warmth.   
  
"SPOT GET OUT!!! Go boil some water downstairs......she looks like she hasn't washed in weeks." Spot laid Raven in the claw foot tub and rushed out of the room. Jackal's eyes darted to the scars covering Spot's back, deep, jagged lines, some holes covered it in an unusual pattern. She turned away and took Raven's hand, kneeled beside tub and stared long and hard at her face. It was as though all color and life were drawn from the once spunky, defiant girl she knew. Time moves slowly in desperate situations and thoughts that come into your mind during that time span are usually not pleasant ones, thoughts of hard times come back to you, times of a similar situation, between you and the one you love, and Jackal was thinking back to those times between her and Spot, times she wanted to forget. Jack and Raven had gone through this before, but he always came back, this time it didn't look as though a happy ending would occur.  
  
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The lobby of the Manhattan lodging house was barren of all life except for three figures waiting there. Raven had lodged herself against the railing of the staircase and had lit a cigarette that she eagerly drained the nicotine from. Jackal and Spot were seated on the very worn out couch, Jackal positioned comfortably on Spot's lap. Spot had his feet resting lightly on the old coffee table in the center of the room, carefully lodged between the dozens of empty and half-full beer bottles filling it. A tension carried itself fluently throughout the room, mounting with the seconds, coming closer with each ticking of the old clock on Kloppman's desk. Slowly the front door began to open. Raven stood rigidly, straightening herself up to her full height, and the couple on the sofa turned their heads to the door. Jack inched his way in the door, stumbling on his way in. When he caught Raven's eyes he halted, feeling her agitation mount.   
  
"Wheah were ya?" Raven spoke slowly and coldly to him the tone of her voice matching that of the emotion in her eyes.  
  
"Out Ravy." Jack stated as he walked closer to her, upon reaching her she smelt the alcohol on his lips and breath, she pulled her head back in disgust, and shoved him away from her.  
  
"Your drunk...AGAIN." Her anger was rising, and Jackal began to sense it as she tapped Spot and they moved to a standing position.  
  
"I just wanted ta go and have a good time Rave, what's wrong in dat?"   
  
"WHAT'S WRONG WIT' DAT IS YA ALWAYS COME BACK HEAH DRUNK OFF YER ASS!" Raven yelled inching closer to him.  
  
"SHOAH ITS OK WHEN YOU GO OUT AND DRINK YASELF INTA OBLIVION BUT WHEN I DO IT DEAH'S A WHOLE NUDDAH STORY!" Jack's anger mixed with his drinking was not a good combination, he shared his father's drunken qualities, a short and easily triggered temper.   
  
"I DON'T DO IT ALMOST EVERY NIGHT! YOUS BEEN OUT EVERY SINGLE NIGHT DIS WEEK AND YA COME HOME DA SAME WAY, STUTTERIN AND SLOBBERIN ALL OVAH YASELF!"  
  
"IT'S MY BUSINESS WHAT I DO! NOT YERS DOLL!"   
  
"I AIN'T YER GODDAMN DOLL!" Raven shoved him sharply backward stepping towards him, and in return Jack did the same to her.   
  
"HEY!" Spot boomed and jumped in the middle of the them.  
  
"DIS AIN'T YER PLACE CONLON!" Jack shoved Spot out of the way, slamming him into Jackal. Spot went to charge at Jack but Jackal held firmly onto him as Spot struggled to be released. Raven and Jack continued there bickering and as it continued they gradually woke up the entire Lodging house, carefully each Manhattanite walked down the staircase to watch the commotion downstairs.   
  
"Spot...he's drunk! let it go! GODAMN IT LET IT GO!" Jackal pleaded with him, but in the end it was no use. Spot broke from her grip and tackled Jack to the ground.  
  
"BOYS STOP IT!" Jackal and Raven cried out together and hurried over to the wrestling match in the center of the room. Spot was ruthlessly punching Jack repeatedly in the face, cracking of his nose could be heard and the distinct sound of ripping flesh, but still he continued to punch. Finally Jack got out of his daze and flung Spot off of him causing him to smash onto the beer filled coffee table. A sickening crunch was heard as the bottles broke and the wood cracked causing Spot to grunt as he smashed into the floor, then a scream filled the air, a scream full of burning and bone chilling pain, rattling everyone's brain. Everyone froze, silence. A single hot tear slid out of the corner of Spot's eye as the pain grew in intensity, the burning from the alcohol making his skin seem on fire. Jack got on all fours and spit the blood from his mouth, looked at Spot lying on the crushed mass of the table, got to his feet and fled the lodging house slamming the door on his way out. Spot felt each tiny piece of glass sharply in his skin, feeling them lodge themselves comfortably into the crevices of his epidermis.   
  
"Ravy help me..." Jackal turned to the other girl, who noticed a fleeting fear in the other's eyes. Oracle flew down the stairs and joined the other two girls. Miracle stood all the head of the line of newsies watching in shock as all three women helped Spot to his feet, he made a painful growl and gasped for air. Slowly they reached the bunkroom. Racetrack cleared his bed immediately and they laid Spot down on his stomach.   
  
"Race get me a scissah, Mush get some hot wawtah and clean rags, Blink get some of dat old whiskey Klopp keeps hidden in da kitchen." Ravy spoke softly but demanding ordering the boys to do as told. Each one of them took off for their respective posts.  
  
"Da scissahs are missin Ravy...." Race returned looking forlorn. Raven nodded and turned back to Spot who had his eyes winced tightly in pain, sweat forming on his brow.   
  
"Ok.....Jackal hold him down...Oracle grab one side of da shoit." Oracle and Jackal did as told and Raven took her post. "When I say so pull Oracle, and don't stop fa nothin got dat." Oracle nodded. "PULL!" Oracle and raven tugged the shirt in the two direction causing it to tear, Spot thrashed as the shirt nicked the glass in his body making them move but not pop out of his skin. Slowly the shirt ripped in two making Raven and Oracle fall to the floor on their butt's. Raven scurried back to Spot's side and covered her mouth at the gruesome sight of Spot's back, it looked more like shredded meat then someone's skin. Oracle took one look at the shape of Spot and passed out. Her boyfriend at the time, Pie Eater, rushed over, picked Oracle up and placed her in his bunk. Spot took a deep breathe and folded his arms underneath himself, spreading out the deep cuts as much as possible, letting the glass shards loosen from their positions. Another hot tear slid from his eyes as the pain mounted and grew. New blood seeped from the cuts, making the dirty sheets turn an ugly shade of reddened brown. Mush came running in with the hot water and rags, he also brought and extra bowl and announced "it's for the glass." Raven took a seat on one side of Spot and Jackal sat on the other.   
  
"Everyone.Get.Out." Spot said through clenched teeth breathing deeply at each word. Raven stood up and chased everyone out of the room with her. Jackal went to move but Spot grabbed her arm. She looked at his crystalline eyes that were teary with pain.  
  
"Jackal take it out."   
  
"I..I can't." She stuttered staring at his torn up back.   
  
"I'se beggin ya, It hoits so much I can't breathe....." He trailed off as he closed his eyes and two tiny tears escaped from him. Jackal's eyes widened as she realized how much suffering he was really going through, she had never heard him beg of anything from anyone, let alone cry in front of anyone even her. She ran her fingers through his dirty blonde hair and kissed his forehead. She studied his back for a moment before reaching for the first tiny piece of glass, his muscles tensed instantly and she pulled back, took a deep breathe and reached for it. Spot bit his lip in pain, ripping it letting his own blood seep into his mouth. Jackal tossed the piece of glass into the empty basin, hearing it clank against the side and plop into the bottom. Each time she pulled another piece of glass out, she remembered the resonating sound of them filling the empty container. Spot's back muscles grew more tense as the moments passed and the pain kept growing never once stopping or permitting a moment of peace. Jackal looked to his pain stricken face and took in a sharp breath as her lip quivered and two watery tears fell from her eyes. The tears continued to cloud her vision as they flowed down her cheeks fiercely. Spot's eyes let his own silent tears fall while her digging out of the glass continued. As she pulled the last piece out and threw it into the now full of glass container, a sob escaped her lips and she ran from the bunkroom.   
  
"I...I...can't finish the rest....I...I" She stuttered as her sobbing interrupted her speech and she stared at her blood stained hands. Raven rushed over to her, grabbing a cloth on the way and quickly wiped the wet blood from her hands. Raven left the cloth in Jackal's hands and walked slowly into the bunkroom, she continued until she reached Spot's bedside. Picking up the rag, she dipped it in the lukewarm water and gently pressed it onto the bleeding gashes. Spot moaned in pain, as Raven cleared the blood away. Blink stepped into the bunkroom with the whiskey and new bandages. Blink handed the items to Raven, and then disappeared from the bunkroom. Ravy released a breath and dipped a rag in the alcohol. She touched one of the cuts gently and Spot roared with pain. She continued as each of his screams filled her ears. A slow single tear fell as she placed clean bandages over his cuts and Spot passed out from the pain.   
  
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Spot came rushing back into the room with the hot water; he began pouring it slowly into the tub. Jackal watched the water slosh into the large container, letting it wash away the hard memory from her eyes. Spot walked over to the door and stopped, staring at Raven's ghostly pale face and sighing.  
  
"Go...she'll be fine." Jackal murmured and Spot left the room quietly. Spot walked his way into the bunkroom and leaned his body heavily against the wall. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, lit a match, placed the white rolled tobacco in his mouth and shrouded it with his hand took a breath allowing the match to ignite the cigarette. He pulled it from his mouth and released a white cloud of smoke from his lips, letting it form patterns in the air. The activity in the room had by now stopped sensing the nervousness of their leader.   
  
"Uh...Spot everyt'in all right?" Shiner inquired looking up from his poker hand a cigarette dangling from his lips. His silvery gray eyes studying Spot's demeanor at the moment, his platinum hair shining in the moonlight, giving him the appearance of an immortal angel.   
  
"Ravy's heah." Spot spoke the words between the cigarette dangling from his lips. Another Brooky with toned red hair turned around slowly, his light brown eyes staring at Spot.  
  
"Ravy? Don't she belong in Hattan?" He asked.  
  
"Not right now Grip.... She needs ta stay heah fa awhile." The red head he called Grip nodded.   
  
"Ya mean ta tell me dat Ravy's heah? Where have I been? God have I been in Brooklyn too long." A young girl of thirteen with deep brown hair and eyes to match said from in between the two Brooky's.   
  
"Yea Miracle...she's heah." Spot said a little agitated.  
  
"Ya mean me bruddah's goil Ravy?" Spot flinched at the connected between Raven and Jack, knowing that it was no more.   
  
"Yea da infamous couple of Jack and Raven, who can faget dey'se tageddah?" Tabloid said with a laugh. His dark hair and deep eyes made you think he was of European decent, he was ruggedly handsome and had a smile that made every woman swoon.   
  
"SHADDUP ALL A YAS!!! SHE AIN'T HEAH FA A VISIT!!! SHE'S HEAH CUZ JACK'S GONE!" The room fell silent except for Miracle.  
  
"WHADDA YA MEAN ME BRUDDAH'S GONE!!!!" Miracle shot up from her seat and was in an instant two inches from Spot's face.  
  
"EXACTLY WHAT I SAID MIRACLE!!! JACK FLEW DA COUP!!! HE'S IN SANTA FE!"  
  
"STOP LYIN TA ME CONLON!!!"  
  
"FA ONCE I AIN'T LYIN TA YA SHRIMP!!! NOW GET OUTTA ME FACE!" Miracle shoved Spot back into the wall, he grabbed her wrists and flung her back onto the wall. At that moment Shiner jumped up and started to pry Spot off of Miracle. Tabloid was already pulling Miracle back by her waist and Grip was tugging Spot's arm back.  
  
"LET GO A ME!!!!" Miracle shrieked.  
  
"YA PRETTY DAMN LUCKY DAT ME ARMS ARE HELD BACK GOIL!"   
  
"CAN IT PUPPY!" Miracle spat at him. Spot began to charge forward, but was pulled back by his loyal Brooky's. His sky blue eyes burning with fury at the young woman in front of him. Spot shrugged his boys off of him and exited the bunkroom with the crash of the door.   
  
"Miracle ya bettah watch it....I mean dis whole Raven t'ing's got him all in a twist ya know?" Tabloid said to her.  
  
"SHADDUP TAB!" Miracle shouted and stormed across the room crashing on a random bunk.  
  
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Oracle stared wide-eyed at the paper on the ground of the lodging house bunkroom as did all the newsboys. Instantaneously they all agreed upon the same thing in their heads, charge for the paper. Each and every one of them jumped up and ran diving for the white ball crumpled on the floor, and each crashing into one another with groans of pain and yells of frustration, except Oracle holding the paper high above her head and screaming and jumping with joy. Oracle skipped over to Swifty's bunk and jumped onto it landing Indian style, she carefully unfolded the paper and opened in wide, flopping it out and placing it in her lap. Swifty tip toed over to her and sitting next to her with his arm around her waist, read over her shoulder. All the boys crowded around the bunk.  
  
"Well Duh! It says everyt'in we already know guys, he's in Santa Fe, met up with Jesse James and laves? um...no ...wait loves Raven, yea loves her." Oracle rushed out at a mile a minute.  
  
"Hold on" Swifty shouted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"How'd ya read dat scribbled out crap?" Swifty asked amazed.  
  
"I have super vision!" She held her index fingers to the tips of her thumbs and placed the circles over her eyes making her look like a disturbed beetle.   
  
"WAIT HOLD ON!!!" Skittery shot out.  
  
"What?" Oracle said impatiently.  
  
"Met up wit who?" Race said wide-eyed.  
  
"Jesse James." Oracle said nonchalantly. She looked at the paper again and then dropped her mouth open in ultimate shock.  
  
"JESSE JAMES! HE'S GONNA GET HIMSELF KILLED!"   
  
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Jack strolled into the bank casually, walking up to the counter and leaning his elbow onto it pressing his handsome face slowly to the cage.  
  
"Good aftahnoon Sir."  
  
"Yes young man, how can I help you?" Jack looked past him for a moment and noticed a perfectly sketched wanted poster of himself behind the clerk and mentally rolled his eyes at this moron's stupidity.   
  
"Well ya see I'd like ta make a withdrawal." Jack said straightening up and reaching into his back pocket.   
  
"Name please."  
  
"Jack Kelly." That was the cue, Colin slowly strolled into the bank followed closely by Jesse, each of them coming in close by either one of Jack's sides.   
  
"Jack Kelly. Funny I think I've heard that name before."  
  
"Really ya don't say?" Jack retorted, and sent Jesse a "how stupid can this guy get" look.   
  
"Jeez Jack dis guy don't know an outlaw when he's meeting him." Jesse said perfectly relaxed.  
  
"Shoah don't." Colin said pulling his silver gun out of his pocket.  
  
"Now mistah, can I please have my withdrawal." Jack's face was right up against the cage as he smiled at the man's fear. In an instant Jack and Jesse had both whipped their guns out as well and all three outlaws had them aimed on the teller before them. The man shook with fear as he reached under the counter and begin piling the money into the bag, more money than any newsie would every imagine to see in his or her lifetime.   
  
"Your takin an awfully long time there....." Jesse said with a sigh.  
  
"I mean the sheriff should be hear any second, hurry up just a little." Jack suggested with a nudge of his gun.  
  
"Screw that!" Colin shouted. Jack glared at him until his face lit up in an amazing smile. Jack lifted his gun to the ceiling and pulled the trigger, the bullet soared through the ceiling letting plaster and debris fall on top of them. Jesse grabbed the teller's shirt collar and pulled him forward.  
  
"Listen good, hurry up or get a shot like that right into your heart." He jammed his gun into the man's chest and then flung him backward. The teller thrust the bag at Colin and the three of them charged out the door. Jack turned around quickly tipped his hat and said "Much obliged" before running out after Colin and Jesse. They hopped on their stallions and began to gallop into the distance when Jesse started to pull back, without Colin or Jack noticing. Jesse turned his head and saw the sniper on the roof of the grocery store, made a swift nod and trotted in the opposite direction. As Jack's horse trotted away, the sniper zeroed in on him and pulled the trigger. Jack let go of the reins and grabbed his shoulder where the bullet had gone through. He flipped over backwards and landed on the floor clutching his arm, crimson spurted from it wildly covering him in deep blood. A searing, ripping pain enveloped him as he clutched his open wound, tears blinded him and a silent scream filled his lips. Colin pulled his horse to a halt and turned and watched Jesse ride off in the opposite direction.   
  
"THAT BASTARD SET ME UP!!!" Jack screamed to Colin. Colin went to climb down but saw the sheriff coming straight at Jack, his horse pranced nervously, showing Colin's exact emotions.   
  
"COLIN GET OUTTA HEAH! GO!" Jack tried to stand but in an instant was seized but the sheriff. Colin kicked his horse hard, and began galloping away into the sun. Dust kicked up behind the horse in thick patches causing Jack to choke. The sheriff pulled a struggling Jack Kelly away from the center of the town and dragged him to the sheriff's office. In one swift motion he was tossed into a one-roomed dirty cell, the last thing he heard were the bars slamming closed behind him.   
  
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Jackal sat on the edge of the bed staring at her withered friend. Raven slowly opened her eyes and tried to weakly smile at her.  
  
"I'm a mess huh?"  
  
"Shoah are goily." Jackal replied smiling. She then pulled a piece of bread out from behind her back and tossed it to Raven, who caught it. Raven stared at it before looking sorrowfully at Jackal.  
  
"Just try k?" Jackal patted her foot on top of the old sheet and walked out of the room, leaving the door open a crack. Raven continued to stare at that one little piece of bread that to her looked humongous. She ripped off a small corner and began to nibble slowly beginning her grueling healing process that would not only heal her body but her heart.   
  
"um....Ravy?" Raven looked over at the doorway and saw a few familiar heads pop into the room. Miracle charged into the room first, hopping onto the bed in one huge leap, Raven forced a smile and hugged her.   
  
"Heya Raves!" Shiner and Grip said smiling as they entered the room.   
  
"Why good mornin Miss Ravy." Tabloid the charmer said, taking her hand and kissing it.  
  
"Oh god Tab go shove yer bullshit up someone else's ass." Tab laughed lightly and hugged her as well.   
  
"Shouldn't you boys and MIRACLE be out sellin yer papes?" Raven inquired.  
  
"Oh yea....um...dose little t'ings." Tab said as he backed towards the door of the room, Shiner and Grip began to exit also and soon they zipped out of their faster than a bullet. Miracle still hadn't moved from Raven's side and was staring at her looking like she was about to burst like an over ripe tomato all over the bed.   
  
"What?" Raven's voice was as weak as her body.  
  
"I'm in love."  
  
Raven sat up with shock written all over her face. "Dat's not a good idea Miracle. Ya know how protective HE is of ya."  
  
"Ovahprotective is more like it." Miracle flopped into Ravy's lap, and the older girl began to smooth the younger ones brown tresses through her hands "He's so dreamy. His eyes are like crystals dat shine in da sun. His hair like a chocolate in da hot sun. I have ta write dat down. It's so poetry."  
  
Miracle quickly jumped up and scrambled for a pen and paper as Raven's eyes practically jumped out of her head.  
  
"Miracle." Raven looked at the girl who's dark eyes shone with excitement. She looked up tossing her braided hair over her shoulder.  
  
"Uh huh?"  
  
"Is it Spot?" Miracle frowned.   
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"He loves Jackal."  
  
"No......"  
  
"Yea....I mean.....Miracle just don't do nothin stupid."   
  
"Fine..."   
  
"MIRACLE!" Raven boomed surprisingly strong for her state.  
  
"FINE!" Miracle jumped off the bed and ran out of the room. Raven rolled her eyes at the younger Kelly and flopped back onto her pillow.   
  
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Spot slung an around Jackal's shoulders as he stood at the head of the line at the Brooklyn Distribution office. Tabloid fell right behind him followed by Shiner and Grip, the higher ranking and highly trusted Brooklyn boys stood at Spot Conlon's side always, pouncing like a tiger at anyone or anything that threatened or defied his authority. The window opened and Spot stepped up, slammed his two bits on the counter and grabbed his papers. He waited for his girl and the both walked scanning the paper together before Spot halted suddenly, dropping his mouth into an extremely wide O, he ran his hand over his mouth as he scanned his eyes over the words that made up this article.   
  
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Racetrack sat on the edge of the distribution line, letting his feet dangle over. He took a puff of his cigar as he turned the page. His eye caught the article immediately.  
  
"HOLY SHIT!!! GET YER PAPES NOW!! ALL A YAS!!! YA STUPID BUMS!!!! PAGE 12!!!! READ IT!!!!" He jumped up screaming and waving the paper in a mad frenzy. Immediately every single Manhattan newsie rushed to the office window piling on top of one another in a mad dash for the "outrageous" article. Oracle rolled her eyes as she pushed through each of them and ended up at the head of the line.  
  
"Heya 60 papes." She placed her money in front of the distributor and smiled when he handed her the papers. "T'anks." She walked away from the window and jumped off the paper ramp, sitting on a nearby crate. To humor Race she turned to page twelve and couldn't believe her eyes.   
  
AMERICAN OUTLAW JACK KELLY IN CUSTODY!  
  
After months of searching for the newest accomplice to the criminal Jesse James authorities found him in the town of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where it is believed him and his gang were stationed all a long. After a successful bank robbery, where Jack Kelly and his accomplices held the clerk at gunpoint, an unusual source alerted the Sheriff as to the whereabouts of Mr. Kelly. It is believed the source was Jesse James but it can't be proven. A trained gun artist shot Jack Kelly late yesterday afternoon and he is now in his rightful place, jail.   
  
Oracle shot out of her seat and ran out of the distribution center, she let her feet carry her to the Brooklyn Bridge where she slammed into a familiar little girl.  
  
"MIRACLE!"  
  
"ORACLE!" Miracle quickly wiped her tears away as she stared at the Manhattanite.   
  
"DID YOU SEE DIS!! YOUR BRUDDAH IS A COMPLETE MORON!!!" Oracle shoved the paper into Miracle's hands and watched as she skimmed the words of the article. Miracle dropped the paper and grabbed the bridge railing and tried to fling herself over, Oracle grabbed the girls waist and began to tug her back, the battle went on as Miracle tried to go over and Oracle pulled behind. Spot came flying across the bridge followed by Jackal, he saw the commotion near the edge and hurried his pace as did Jackal who wasn't far behind. When he reached them he grabbed Miracle and lifted her easily to the ground.  
  
"WHAT THE HEL...." His words were cut off by Miracle's lips upon his, too shocked to move his eyes widened before realization kicked in and he shoved her away.   
  
"YOU FUCKING LITTLE GIT!" Jackal screamed and lunged at the younger girl, slamming her into the ground. The two girls began rolling on the floor, pulling hair and punching ruthlessly.  
  
"ENOUGH!" Spot boomed as he pried Jackal off of her. "You" He pointed at Miracle. "Back to Manhattan NOW!"  
  
"But Spot..."  
  
"NOW!" Oracle grabbed Miracle's arm and began dragging her back to the borough the former Manhattan leader's sister called home.   
  
"I don't see how you got your name Jackal. Your more of a Jackass!" Miracle screamed as Oracle tugged her arm forcefully towards Manhattan. Jackal started forward but Spot wrapped his arms firmly around Jackal's waist and pulled her back.  
  
"CONLON LET GO A ME!!!! LET ME KILL HER PUNY ASS!" Spot flung her around to face him and let his lips drape over hers, slowly probing his tongue into her moth. Jackal slipped her arms gently around his neck and let herself get lost in his perfect kiss.  
  
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The doctor slammed Jack onto the old dirty bed and began probing his fingers into the open gunshot wound. Jack screamed in anguish and blood covered him and everywhere around him. The doctor shoved a rag into Jack's mouth to erase his horrifying screams. He continued his probing deep within the boy's flesh, hitting muscle and bone, searching for the bullet that had shot into Jack. Jack's muffled screams filled the cell.  
  
"HOLD HIM!" The doctor yelled, and the sheriff ran inside to pin jack down to the old mattress. The doctor continued his search with Jack's arm's for that one little tiny bullet that seemed so deep into his muscles, as he searched, Jack's muscles ripped and tore with the pulling and twisted of the doctors fingers, until suddenly the doctor yanked his fingers out of the wound. Jack opened his mouth, dropping the rag, and yelled in agonizingly pure tormented pain.   
  
"Got it." The doctor announced. Jack lay there on the bed, in his own blood, panting and in a deep cold sweat. The doctor showed Jack the bullet and handed it to him. He began bandaging the outlaw up and left him alone.   
  
Time is a fickle thing and as most people know it heals all wounds and with time Raven will heal hers, maybe even more quickly than anyone else's.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yea ya are.  
  
Jack: no I'se not  
  
Yea ya are  
  
Jack: no I'se not  
  
Yea ya are  
  
Jack: no I'se not  
  
Yea ya are.............. 


	6. Moving On In The Face Of Death

HEYA!! I'm tooooo lazy to do shoutouts on this chapter but thank you everyone who reviewed, MsJonyReb,Morning Dew, NicNac,Demon and Skid Mark. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!  
  
More weeks dragged on, the time moving slowly allowing broken hearts to heal and mend a fraction if not entirely through.   
  
Raven jumped out of her bunk quickly, got dressed in a frenzy and scrambled into the washroom meeting Tabloid on the way in.  
  
"Hey Tabloid!" Raven cried cheerfully as she stopped in front one of the many vanities. Tabloid stopped at the one next to her and eyed her suspiciously as he watched her comb her hair with a bright smile on her face. Raven quickly tied her hair in a tight ponytail securing Jack's old bandana around it tightly. Raven waved at the boys as she skipped out of the room.   
  
"Was she just.......smiling?" Tabloid leaned over and asked Grip.  
  
"Yea....and skipping." Grip said in utter shock holding a shaving brush full of fluffy white shaving foam limp in his hand. Tabloid grabbed the brush from him and flung shaving cream into Grip's face with a laugh. Grip grabbed Tabloid by his shirt and pulled his face close to him growling madly. Shiner stormed over and pushed the two apart.  
  
"Don't blow ya lid Grip, he's just havin some fun."   
  
"Yea yea..." Grip shrugged himself from Shiner's grip and walked out of the washroom.   
  
Jackal stepped slowly out of Spot's room and nearly got run over by Raven as she tore past the room. Jackal did a small double take and let out a breath of frustration at Ravy's fickle mood swings. Spot snuck up behind Jackal and smoothly slid his arms about her waist causing Jackal to release a knowing smile.  
  
"Ya know Spot that's the first time I'se seen her smile since he left...."  
  
"uh huh." Spot whispered as he moved his head closer to her neck. "One t'ing dat ain't changed yet.....she never let's his bandana leave her sight, it's always on her....in her hair or in her pocket, but it's always there." Spot kissed his girls neck and began to whisper into her ear, Jackal's face lit up in anticipation as Spot began pulling her back into the room. They both began to laugh as the door slammed behind them.   
  
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Jack sat in his dark cell, alone, huddled in a corner shielding himself from the nothing that consumed him. He heard clinking footsteps outside the door and looked up, seeing a face he never wanted to see again. The sheriff slid open the bars and let Jesse in.  
  
"Thanks Sheriff." Jesse said with a false smile, he then turned to Jack. Jack glared at him, hate and menace shining in his brown eyes.  
  
"You set me up." He spoke the words short and stern, but with an eerie calm learned by Spot Conlon.   
  
"That's right kid, I set you up, what of it?" Jesse said with a defiant nod of the head.  
  
"Why?" Jack uttered the simple question eager for the answer.  
  
"This is why!?" Jesse shoved Jack's wanted poster into his face.   
  
"A wanted postah! Ya set me up ovah a wanted postah!" Jack yelled standing up.  
  
"It's not just the wanted poster it's everything else that comes along with it! The fame, the fear that you strike into people's hearts, the women who swoon over you! You took it all away from me! That was my fame and you took it all!"   
  
Jack charged at Jesse unexpectantly and slammed him into the hard brick wall, shoving his arm into his neck. Jesse shoved Jack off of him sending Jack flying to the floor. Jesse leaped on top of him and locked his strong hands around Jack's neck. Jack began to choke and scratched at Jesse's fingers, frantically trying to make Jesse release him from his death hold. With all of his force Jack flung Jesse off him and flung him onto his back, Jack scratched his finger nails down Jesse's face causing him to release his hands from Jack's neck. Cowboy began pounding Jesse mercilessly in the face, one murderous punch after another until one of the opponent's cheeks split open and blood oozed from the wound. Jesse lifted his knee sharply and rammed Jack hard in most precious of areas, Jack collapsed holding his crotch in pain. Jesse shoved Jack off of him and stood, he kicked Jack over onto his back and began kicking him in every part of his body with the hard tip of his cowboy boot. When he was satisfied he walked over to the bars and called for the sheriff, the sheriff opened them up and Jesse stepped outside them, waiting for the cling of the metal before announcing.  
  
"For givin you up, they let me off free everything against Jesse James has been, as you could say, stricken from the record." Jesse let a smirk creep upon his face before marching out of the small jail. Jesse words rang in his head over and over, repeating like a monotonous drone.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The crowd filling Irving Hall tonight could be heard from three blocks away, their rowdiness and overall good mood shouting out to the street corners of New York, mocking them for they couldn't join in on the joy in the theatre.   
  
Spot pulled Raven down the street, dragging her, never releasing his grip.  
  
"Spot I told ya I didn't want ta go out!"   
  
"Spot she don't wanna be heah! Now let her run back ta Brooklyn all right?" Jackal interjected.  
  
"SHADDUP! Ravy listen ya need a night out! Ya haven't been out in weeks, just enjoy da night while ya can." Spot pleaded with her, making a puppy dog face at her. Raven rolled her eyes and tapped his chin.  
  
"Fine Conlon...FINE." She caved. Spot released her grip and she froze, spun around and charged for Brooklyn, but instead smashed into Shiner, Grip and Tabloid.  
  
"Ravy if ya wanted ta run ta Irvin Hall ya shoulda axed fa directions!" Tabloid said while the three boys pushed her in the proper direction.  
  
"Yea Raves, come on it'll be fun." Shiner said to her as he helped Tab along.  
  
"I can heah da noise and smell da booze already." Grip smiled as he sniffed the air around him. "And a rottin slice of Pizza." The boys all laughed and hurried Raven down the street as Jackal yelled at them. Spot ripped open the doors to Irving Hall and was greeted with a wave of "Heya Brooklyn" throughout the room, Jackal slapped Spot on the back of the head as the headed over to the Race's table. Tab shoved Raven inside and immediately every eye in the room was on her. She smiled nervously and waved, thought about it for a second and bolted for the door, Grip and Shiner were already onto her as they blocked her exit and forced her to enter the lively atmosphere. Finally she gave up and plopped into a chair next to Jackal, and two minutes later Oracle joined them. The girls quickly struck up a conversation while Spot headed over to Race's table that included Blink and Mush, Tabloid trotted over after Spot and the boys situated themselves comfortably into a game of poker, and already began the many rounds of beers that would pass that evening. Raven searched the room for someone who she knew would be here, but was at the present time missing. Oracle looked over at Jackal with a worried expression on her face.  
  
"Ravy, ya know he ain't gonna be heah doncha?" Oracle said into her ear.  
  
"A COURSE I DO DUMBASS!" Raven slapped Oracle upside the head. "I'se lookin fa Miracle..."  
  
"Why ya lookin fa dat twit!?" Jackal eyes filled with anger at the mention of the nuisance.   
  
"Oh can it Jackal, she's what? thoiteen yeahs old, it's a fuckin crush she ain't gonna steal Spottie from ya."  
  
"Yea but she damn well can kiss him all right, dat dumb bitch kissed me boyfriend."  
  
"She ain't gonna steal him from ya so give it a rest would ya?" Raven sighed as she said the words.  
  
"Ravy's right, she's still a voigin...what would Spot do with dat?" Jackal went to answer the question asked of her, but Raven clasped her hand firmly over the girl's mouth.  
  
"Don't even answah dat, I know it would be somet'in doity like, pop her, so just don't."   
  
"OR..." Oracle went to but in as well.  
  
"ORACLE!"  
  
"What!? Oracle put on a mock innocence.   
  
"She's a baby, what would he want with a baby?" Raven asked.  
  
"Well, he'd probably feed her, change her diapah and den bring her ta bed with him." Jackal said sarcastically. The group of girls all laughed, before Jackal stood and walked over to Spot's table, which by now had filled up with all the top ranked newsies. Oracle stood up shortly after that and went to find Swifty, and as always they would later be found in an unlocked dressing room looking rather disheveled and guilty.   
  
Medda Larkson stepped onto the stage and the room erupted in thunderous applause and whoops and hollers filled each crevice of the theatre.  
  
"Hello newsies, what's new!?" Medda proclaimed excitedly which made the room explode even louder. After a few moments she hushed the room.  
  
"Tonight we have a special treat, one of your very own has decided to play a song for you...on one condition." Medda paused.  
  
"WHAT'S DAT!?" Blink yelled from his seat next to Spot, who now had Jackal firmly planted on his lap. Spot kissed her cheek.  
  
"That one former Manhattan member sing the lyrics." Medda announced.   
  
"NAW MAKE DA KID FROM BROOKLYN!" Spot shouted out and the room laughed. Jackal slapped him playfully, Spot pulled her lips down onto his causing the room to erupt into whistles, when they broke apart Spot jutted his head upward, seeming to ask "you got a problem?". Medda laughed at his antics before quieting the room down again.  
  
"You see Spot, that won't be a problem, the person that is requested to sing is Miss Raven."  
  
"ME!" Raven squeaked from alone from her table. All eyes in the room turned to her. "SORRY MEDDA BUT IT AIN'T HAPPENIN!" Raven yelled to the stage.   
  
"COME ON RAVE!" Spot shouted and others filled in with similar statements.   
  
"Just one night Raven..." Tabloid whispered into her ear. She rolled her eyes and smiled.  
  
"FINE!" She reluctantly agreed and stood up as Tabloid escorted her to the stage. Miracle quietly stepped out from backstage carrying her flute and sat in the chair all the way on the west corner. Her deep green dress fit her perfectly and was accented with a shining gold trim. Jackal went to jump the stage but Spot pulled her back as she growled at him.  
  
"Deah, deah......" He slowly kissed her neck as she settled down and leaned against him.  
  
Raven slowly stepped to the center of the stage with the air of a natural born performer, when in reality she was, her mother had been a singer in Paris, before her brother was born. She tugged her cap a little farther over her eyes, and kept to her tomboyish demeanor and strong pressance using it to draw attention to her on the stage. She patted her back pocket reassuring herself that his bandana was firmly in place. The room fell silent as the spotlight hit Raven's lone form, shining on her like a light stardust. Miracle lifted her flute to her lips and began the melody, Raven slowly lifted her head and stared out to the balcony, she opened her mouth and from it the notes flew in a beautiful, haunting, serenade that grabbed deep within your heart.   
  
There is something that I see   
  
In the way you look at me  
  
There's a smile, there's a truth  
  
In your eyes  
  
She reached her hand out slowly to the audience as one face appeared to her vision, his brown eyes came into view, glistening in the light, then his bright, shining smile, those eyes shone at her clearly as though she had been watching them all along. Jack. She traced his face in the air with her fingers, outlining every curve.   
  
What an unexpected way  
  
On this unexpected day  
  
Could it be this is where I belong  
  
It is you I have loved all along  
  
*...Jack...*  
  
There's no more mystery, it is finally clear to me  
  
You're the home my heart searched for so long  
  
And it is you I have loved all along  
  
A lone tear fell from her eyes and slowly glided down her face.  
  
There were times I ran to hide  
  
Afraid to show the other side  
  
Alone in the night without you  
  
Raven ran quickly down the alleyway, letting the rush of the rain wash over her completely. Her eyes darted about in fear. Suddenly a hand wrapped around her waist, She turned around and smiled. Jack bent his head right next to her ear and whispered "I told ya I'd nevah leave ya..." She threw her arms around his neck and they kissed, longingly, lovingly sharing each others taste as the fireworks exploded and tingles rushed their bodies. The rain poured down in torrents on the kissing couple but neither one cared as it washed away the dirt and grime leaving them only with their hearts and love.  
  
But now I know just who you are  
  
And I know you hold my heart  
  
Finally this is where I belong  
  
And it is you I have loved all along  
  
Two more tears escaped her eyes cascading down her face as lone forces of melancholy.   
  
There's no more mystery, it is finally clear to me  
  
You're the home my heart searched for so long  
  
It is you I have loved all along  
  
The silent streams continued as she belted her heart out the crowd, each set of eyes reaching into her heart and feeling her pain now as their own.   
  
Over and over I'm filled with emotion  
  
Your love, it rushes through my veins  
  
And I am filled with the sweetest devotion  
  
As I look into your perfect face  
  
She laid down on his bunk slowly as he showered her with kisses, from her neck down to her collarbone, he slowly unbuttoned her shirt and tossed it off of her to the floor, covering her body with his. He traced her lips with his finger and she kissed it, before he kissed her again but full with passion. Raven wrapped her legs around him, as he slid his hand down her side and across her thigh. She let his hands roam all over her body traveling it like and explorer wandering lost on a tropical island in search of its hidden pleasures. The bodies moved slowly like the waves, bounding higher and higher surfacing on the beach and washing back out into the ocean. Joining two souls into one......  
  
There's no more a mystery, it is finally clear to me  
  
You're the home my heart searched for so long  
  
And it is you I have loved  
  
It is you I have loved  
  
It is you I have loved all along  
  
As she finished the last note letting it flow from her vocal cords sounding like music radiating from an angels lips she collapsed to the floor heaving in desperate sobs. Miracle stood up from her chair clutching her flute to her chest as she backed away from the scene. Spot immediately shoved Jackal off of him and the two of them rushed to the stage. Jackal ran to the side and zoomed up the stairs, while Spot hopped over the ledge onto the stage right away. After Spot's reaction was confirmed, Tabloid and the others jumped out of their seats as well and hurried over to Raven who was hysterical on the floor. Spot kneeled beside her and scooped her into his lap, she laid her head on his chest and cried, her tears soaking through his shirt as he rocked her back and forth stroking her hair. Jackal stood by and watched as Spot carefully cradled her in his arms and carried her off the stage.   
  
"I t'ink dat's enough fun fa one evenin..." Tabloid said as they began to exit the hall followed by stares from all the newsies crowded around.   
  
"Race! Ravy's gonna stay in Manhattan fa da night." Spot called to Race as the sea of newsies parted for the Brooklyn group who was leading Raven and Spot out of the hall.  
  
"Shoa t'ing Spot." Race replied. Slowly the gap filled and they all looked towards where the group had just departed.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack sat alone in the corner of his dreary cell beaten and lonely, he stared out of his tiny slit for a window and the bright full moon that frowned down at him , radiating a glow on his sullen face. He stood up and approached it slowly, hypnotized by its mystical light. He couldn't help but think so himself 'Is she starin at da same moon?'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Raven crept out of the bunk slowly as not to wake any of the sleeping newsies around her, she glided over to the window and opened it. Climbing out she settled herself on the fire escape. Raven pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it, watching the smoke curl upwards in a stringy pattern before disappearing into the air, her eyes darted towards the moon, she found she couldn't tare them away and sat there gazing at its regal beauty, letting its haunting light intoxicate her.   
  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
Jack watched Raven from across the bunkroom as she struggled to braid her unruly tresses. The sight of her sitting there made his stomach flutter and his mind mix in a tangle of jumbled thoughts. He heard her let out an aggravated sigh as she gave up and slammed her hands on the bed. He brought his cigarette to his lips and slowly walked over to her, dropping it to the floor and crushing it with his boot. She looked up at him and he could sense her frustration with herself.  
  
"Want some help Ravy?"   
  
"I can't braid my hair, what kinda goil can't braid deah own hair?" Jack laughed and took a seat next to her and she turned her back to him, all he wanted to do at that moment was run the waves through his fingers and bring them to his lips, take in her scent of newspaper ink and cigarettes mixed with a lovely hue of roses.   
  
"Well Ravy we couldn't exactly call yous a goil now could we?"  
  
"Shaddup Kelly" He could sense the action of her rolling her eyes as he said the words and he immediately regretted them. The awkward yet comfortable tension rested between then as both their nervousness could easily be sensed. Jack picked up her three separate pieces of her hair and began to twist them easily into a braid, when he was through Raven handed him the rubber band and he secured it around the end. She slid her hand over the newly made braid and turned to face him mere inches from his face.  
  
"Where'd ya loin ta braid?"   
  
"Me muddah used ta braid Miracle's hair all da time, I watched her, guess I picked it up."  
  
"Yea..." Raven began to turn away from him again but he rested his hand atop hers, she stopped turning her head and brought her eyes back to meet his own.   
  
"uh....Ravy....um...." Jack stuttered trying to let the words come, but instead his mind got all jumbled together and reeled out of control.  
  
"What?" Seeing her there so close to him and feeling the sensation of her hand under his did not ease his awkwardness. "What Jack?" She smiled, her smile that one thing that brightened his day when his eyes rested upon it. At that moment he lost all control of reason and gently tapped his lips to hers, pulling away quickly as Raven stared at him in shock.  
  
"Shit! I'se sorry, I didn't mean ta...." He looked away from her as a small blush rushed to his cheeks.   
  
"Yea ya did Jack." She was still smiling at him, when he turned back to her, her own face was flushed bright red.  
  
"Ravy...would ya be me goil?" He looked down at the floor as he expected the rejection to come any second, ripping him to shreds, but instead Raven flung her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.  
  
"Yea Jack....I t;ink I will."  
  
"Ya t'ink or ya know."   
  
"I know....."  
  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
Raven ripped her eyes from the moon and looked to the brick wall beside her, Jack rested his head against the wall of his cell the moon still highlighting his silhouette. Both torn lover's then wiped a lone tear from their eyes.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Psst." Jack looked back out the window, and shook his head, he had to be hearing things. "Psst....Jack."  
  
"Colin?" Jack questioned.  
  
"No shit."   
  
"What are ya doin heah?"  
  
"Came ta visit ya."  
  
"Well dat's nice." Jack inched over and looked out the window at Colin's form, he was shrouded in complete darkness, hiding him from anyone who might be able to notice him in the night.  
  
"How you holdin up?"  
  
"Yea I'se all right, considerin bein arrested and gettin shot, and havin Jesse beat da shit outta me, everyt'in's fine." Jack said sarcastically.  
  
"Good to see your doin ok." Colin replied.  
  
"So when ya bustin me out."  
  
"Your kiddin right?"   
  
"No....seriously when ya gettin me outta heah?" Colin laughed.  
  
"There gonna hang you tomorrow."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Yep kid your a gonner."  
  
"HANG ME!"  
  
"Hang you."  
  
"HANG ME!!!"  
  
"Yep hang you...in front of the whole town."  
  
"HANG ME!"  
  
"JESUS KELLY GET IT THROUGHT YOUR HEAD THEY ARE GONNA HANG YOU TOMORROW!" Jack stood there in complete shock as realization finally hit, he was going to die tomorrow and there was no way out of it.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How ya holdin up deah Ravy?" Race asked her early the next morning appearing at her bunk.  
  
"Ya know what Race...I feel great...I'se actually ok." Raven smiled broadly at him before hopping off her bed and heading towards the washroom. She stopped at the very last minute and turned towards the window, she climbed outside and stood on the fire escape. From her pocket she withdrew Jack's bandana, and held it in her hands. She studied it for a moment before holding it out to the wind.  
  
"Goodbye Jack." She smiled and let go of the fabric watching it float away on the breeze, the red leaving a streak in her memory.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack was lead through the mass of the town and shoved up the stairs to the makeshift hanging station, he stood in front of the noose, looking through the loop. He closed his eyes and gulped.   
  
"Jack Kelly, Outlaw in the state of New Mexico...." The words trailed off as his mind raced in a mad whirlwind, finally latching onto the only stable memory he had left, and that was of the one thing he had left behind, Raven. Slowly he felt the noose being tugged tightly around his neck, creating rope burn.  
  
"Is sentenced to hang until suffocated to death on this day..."  
  
Then suddenly the boxes were kicked out from beneath him and the rope snapped, Jack fell to the floor and looked at the wood post behind the rope and saw a knife lodged into it deeply. As if in a mad frenzy horses hooves could be heard barreling down through the crowd and next to Jack, Jack tugged the knife out of the wood and pocketed it as he ran for the horse jumping onto its back at the very last moment. As if from nowhere Colin and Jesse appeared by his side.  
  
"No matter what Jack I couldn't let 'em kill ya." Jesse stated.  
  
"Fuck off Jesse James." Jack said with a smile. Gun shots were being fired at them as the rode off quickly.  
  
"JACK GO GET OUT OF HERE!!!" Colin yelled as him and Jesse turned back to the crowd.  
  
"I can't leave yous heah!"   
  
"Yes you can, now GO!" Colin boomed from ahead of him. Jack looked back at them as they began shooting at the Sheriff's officers. He turned his head back around and urged his horse forward, in a mad sprint for the train tracks. The last sound he heard was one single gun shot and yelling of women, then one voice call to the crowd.  
  
"THEY SHOT JESSE JAMES!" 


	7. Forgiveness of the Sweetest Kind

SHOUTOUTS!!!!  
  
Chicago: OF COURSE JACK GET'S ANOTHER CHANCE! DID YOU REALY THINK I WOULD KILL HIM!  
  
Jack: I thought you were gonna kill me there for awhile Raves  
  
If I wanted to I could have......come to think of it, that newspaper article would have been fun to write. PAIN IN THE ASS OF THE WEST DIES!  
  
Jack: HEY!  
  
Yea Jesse James got what was comin to him. Sry but he was bastard who had to die...OH WELL  
  
Sarah Kate: hehe cliffhangers work so well in my favor hehe. READ THIS! YOUR GONNA FLIP YOUR LID I TELL YA!  
  
Newsie Miracle: NO SUICIDAL MIRACLE'S! AND NO DISAPPEARING!  
  
*Miracle runs off quietly*  
  
Miracle?  
  
*silence*  
  
Miracle!?  
  
*no response*  
  
MIRACLE!?  
  
MsJonyReb: Deep breath...breathe...come on...good...hehe Sry I made ya freak on me but hey....please tell me you didn't actually think I would kill off Jack Kelly? *thinks* OK maybe it crossed my mind a few times BUT STILL! I DIDN'T ACTUALLY DO IT!  
  
I'm glad you liked the ending of this chapter hehe. Jesse had his own little guilt trip that well made him go back for Jack...he couldn't let the kid die now could he.  
  
Jesse: listen I woulda let him die but....damn it I gots a soft spot for stupid young outlaws who don't know their ass from their elbow and well Jack just didn't deserve to die like that so I figured why not rescue the bastard?  
  
Just.....Jesse....no....quiet.....  
  
OH! Read on to fine out exactly where Jack is hehehehehehehehehehehe *turns into evil laugh* MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH  
  
DemonBlood: NOPE HE AIN'T A BASTARD NO MORE! EEP! Come on would I really kill Jack like that? Too easy! I mean if I was gonna kill him off It would be more painfull and longer lasting than that.  
  
Jack: HEY! WHAT ID THIS? ARE YOU PLOTTING MY DEATH OR SOMETHING?  
  
*innocent smile* nooooooooo of course not *evil grin* hehehe  
  
*Jesse is huggled and than smacked over the head with a book*  
  
Jesse: MY HEAD! WHAT THAT HECK WAS THAT FOR!  
  
For you being all evil jealous like outlaw.  
  
Jesse: WELL IT HURT!  
  
GOOD!  
  
OMG SOUR PUNCH STRAWS! EEP! *has about fifty and starts running around in sugar high like circles screaming like an Indian*  
  
HERE WE GO............................................  
  
"Raven seriously this ain't a good idea at all." Miracle said to Raven from her perch on the roof.   
  
"Shaddup! Listen I wanna have some fun..." Raven said as she leaned over the roof's ledge, staring down at the cop she was about to torture for the day.   
  
"Dis is yer idea of fun!?"   
  
"Yea as a mattah of fact it is!"  
  
"I'se out of dis....I ain't gettin tossed inta da refuge fa nothin!" Miracle crossed her arms over her chest and started to stalk off.   
  
"FINE! PARTY POOPAH!" Raven shouted and then let a smirk creep across her face. She turned back to her perch and continued to study the cop. She slowly removed her sling-shot from her back pocket, also grabbing a red marble, she placed the marble in the rubber band and pulled back slowly aiming straight at the police officers head. She released and the marble went zipping through the air, slamming dead on into the officer's noise. Raven eyes went wide as she stood on the roof, she never expected to actually hit the man, she was absolutely terrible with a slingshot, even when she lived in Brooklyn she couldn't handle one properly. In a split second Raven took off down the roof, leaping onto the fire escape and running like mad down the ladder. The cop zeroed in on her retreating form and dashed after her. Raven continued zooming through the crowds of people and down the street with the cop hot on her tail. She zoomed past Blink and Mush who stared after her in disbelief.  
  
"DA BULLS!!!!" She screamed behind her as she continued on through the streets.   
  
"Oh just da bulls...." Mush said to Blink and went to start calling out headlines.  
  
"Wait....DA BULLS!" Blink screeched, grabbed Mush's arm and dragged him at a run after Raven and the cop.  
  
At that moment Raven slammed into Race and shoved him to the side.  
  
"Ravy what da..." Race began to say as she took off and the cop followed by Mush and Blink zipped past him in a mad pursuit for the girl. Race's eyes widened in shock and he chased after them as well. Raven's heart pounded steadily in her chest as her fear mounted, the cop grew closer and closer to her, she heard in her ears the shouts of her friends trying to distract him from her. Raven made a swift turn and ended up in Horace Greeley square where many of the boys were situated. She was growing more and more tired by the second, always being in the lead of the chase and now her breath was running low and her legs were starting to give out on her.   
  
"Raven?" Oracle questioned from Swifty's lap, atop the statue.   
  
"HELP!!!!" Raven yelled frantically and the cop grabbed her around the waist.  
  
"LET HER GO!!!!" Race bellowed as he zipped out of the alley. The cop blew the whistle and immediately more cops showed up on the scene. Immediately all the boys were on their feet and trying to free Raven. She was screaming and kicking wildly, trying to pry herself from the cop's grip.   
  
"LET ME GO YOU FUCKING DOITY BULL!" Raven screamed and kicked the cop. She was still ranting and raving as the paddy wagon pulled up.  
  
"NO!" Miracle screamed. The cop began to lead the disruptive girl over to the wagon. The paddy wagon door opened and Raven dug her feet into the ground screaming unladylike obscenities.  
  
"LEMME GO!!!!! GODAMNIT!!! I'SE GONNA KILL YA!!! BOIN IN HELL YA DOITY SCABBAH!" Raven screamed as she was placed in the wagon, and then she caught someone's eye standing at the back of the crowd with his mouth hanging open in shock. He looked slightly ragged and his hair was lightened from endless hours of sunshine, his brown eyes glittered with fear. He wore old tattered jeans and leather cowboy boots with spurs that clicked when he walked on the cobblestone streets. Raven stared in disbelief at the boy standing there and then she screamed for him at the top of her lungs, letting his name escape madly from her lips.  
  
"JACK!!!!!! JACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'SE GONNA KILL YA!!!! JAC...." SLAM! The paddy wagon door closed on her and the wagon drove away headed to the one place that Jack Kelly wished he could forget about even existed.   
  
"Jack? Why she screamin fa Jack" other murmurs of the like rang through the crowd of newsies. Jack inched his way through the crowd as he watched the wagon drive off, he stood there with the image of the wagon driving off in his brain, pressed there forever.   
  
"So whadda ya gonna do bout dis Jack?" Race snuck up next to him puffing away on his cigar. Jack turned to Race slowly, taking Race's cigar from his mouth. He took a long pull and then answered him.   
  
"Whadda ya t'ink Race? I'se gonna get her outta deah."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Judge E.A Monahan Presiding."  
  
"Oh great...What luck..." Raven thought to herself as she was led to the front of the court. Almost immediately she heard the shouts of familiar voices.   
  
"LET HER OFF!" Was that Blink?  
  
"MOVE A LONG MONAHAN RIGHT!?" Was that Mush?  
  
"WHAT ARE YA GONNA DO MONAHAN, PUT HER IN DA REFUGE FOR HER OWN GOOD! RIGHT! MOVE ALONG!" Jack boomed above the others and slammed himself against the gate. "RIGHT MONAHAN! MOVE ALONG! MOVE ALONG!"   
  
"JACK!! CHEESE IT.... JACK!" Jack started try and pry the gates open, but the boys pulled him back and you could still hear him shouting "MOVE ALONG!" in the background. Raven watched him with her eyes wide. Miracle grabbed her brother's arms and stared long and hard at his reddened face, she could tell he was fighting back tears of anger and torment.  
  
"Jack ya can't do nothin now....." Miracle said sadly. Jack looked at his sister and pulled her into a hug.  
  
"Dere gonna hoit her so bad in deah.....I don't even wanna t'ink about it." Oracle murmured and buried her head in Swifty's chest.   
  
"This girl is charged with disturbing the peace and attempted attack on an officer." Raven laughed lightly.  
  
"Does a council represent you?"  
  
"Do I look like I know what da hell a council is, let alone be able ta afford one?"  
  
"I charge you ten dollars or six months confinement in the House of Refuge."  
  
"NO! I AIN'T GOT DEN DOLLAHS! DAT'S UNREAL! SIX MONTHS! DA REFUGE! NO!" The officer grabbed her arms as she struggled to be released. "NO!!!" He continued to drag her out of the courtroom.  
  
"RAVEN!!!!!" Jack screamed and pressed himself tightly against the bars, as he watched her get dragged away. Jack growled and swung his fist into the wall next to the gate.  
  
"SIX MONTHS!" Race boomed. "DAT'S A CRIME IN IT'SELF! SIX MONTHS! I CAN'T BELIE' DAT!" He crashed down against the wall puffing madly on his cigar.  
  
"Well believe it....we gotta get her outta deah.....with da help a Brooklyn." Jack donned is usual cocky grin as he said those words.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
KNOCK! KNOCK!  
  
"ARGH! CONLON CAN'T YA GET A MOMENTS PEACE!" Jackal screamed in frustration from her position underneath Spot on the bed. Spot groaned.  
  
"GO AWAY! I'SE BUSY!" He boomed and went to kiss Jackal again. KNOCK! KNOCK!  
  
"CONLON GET OFFA YER GOIL AND OPEN UP DIS GODAMN DOOR!" Spot looked up as he recognized the voice. He tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Jack?" Jackal questioned looking up at him.   
  
"Jack" Spot repeated her and nodded his head. Jackal shoved Spot off of her and buttoned her blouse. She rushed to the door and flung it open.  
  
"Good ta see you too Jackal." Jack smiled at her and shoved his way into the room.  
  
"If it ain't Jack be nimble Jack be quick." Spot smirked and went to spit shake with him, but at the least moment changed his mind and smacked him upside the head. "WHAT DA HELL DO YOU T'INK YER DOIN!? WALTZIN BACK IN HEAH LIKE NOT'IN'S WRONG! WHY I OUTTA KILL YA! SCRATCH YER EYEBALLS OUT WIT ME BARE HANDS. RIP YER HEA" His threats were cut short by Jackal's lips atop his own, Spot graciously returned the favor and kissed her back as Jack laughed.   
  
"Ok.....OK! WILL DA TWO A YOUS STOP DAT!" Jack yelled. Jackal and Spot broke their kiss and stared at Jack in shock.  
  
"So Kelly what's got yer panties in a twist?" Jackal said leaning lazily against Spot as he flung an arm over her shoulder.   
  
"Raven's in da refuge." Jack stated plainly  
  
"Repeat dat Jackey-boy" Spot said bewildered.  
  
"Raven's in da refuge." Jack plopped down on Spot's bed and stuck his face in his hands.   
  
"So what's da plan of action"   
  
"We get her outta deah as soon as possible. Spot, you of all people should know what dey do ta goils in da refuge. I seen what happens....if da happens ta Raven....I..I'll nevah fagive meself." Jack muttered.   
  
"We'll get her outta deah don't worry." Spot patted Jack on the back and walked over to his window. Jackal sat next to Jack on the bed.  
  
"She'll be fine, she's got fight in her, she won't one of dem bastahds touch her." Jackal said.  
  
"It ain't one dat I'se worried about, I'se worry about foah or five a dem gangin up on her...." Jack trailed off and looked at the ceiling.  
  
"All right! I gots meself a little plan!" Spot shouted and rushed over to the two on the bed, he then began to tell him his brilliant plan.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The guard led Raven down the dirty hallways of the refuge, the smell of piss and shit flooded her nose, and rotting meat filled the air causing her to gag. He unlocked a one-roomed cell and opened the door. He flung Raven inside, where she collapsed painfully on her hands and knees, her hair shielding her face. The last thing she heard was the door slamming behind her. She stumbled to her feet and clamored over to the window, she gripped the bars covering her small porthole window and lifted her lips to the opening. She whistled two sharp tones followed by a long one and then two more sharp tones .  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At the sound of the SOS whistle a girl with jet-black hair and deep, dark eyes straightened up rigidly, she whipped her head around. She pursed her lips together and whistled back to Raven, one long, two sharp, and another long one. She edged closer to the ledge of the rooftop and leaned over looking straight at the refuge. In return the girl heard a raven's cry. Her eyes widened as she returned with a cry of her own, that of a crow. In an instant the girl flew from the rooftop and jumped to the next one.   
  
"What's da rush Crow?" A boy with shining blonde hair grabbed her arm and asked. Crow yanked her arm away and glared at him.  
  
"Ravens in da coup Gold, gotta tell Conlon exactly wheah she is." Crow stated and continued across the rooftops. She came to a fire escape and slid gracefully down the ladder handles, running at lightning speed to Spot Conlon's window. She shimmied up the drainpipe and tapped three times on the window. The three figures huddled in quiet discussion, Looked up at the window and stared straight into the deep pits of Crow's eyes. Spot rushed to the window and let the girl in. She swing herself through the window and landed on her two feet in front of Spot.  
  
"Chirp Crow."  
  
"Raven's in da big coup, single cell isolation, sent an SOS, confirmed it was her through poisonal calls." Crow stated unemotionally. Spot nodded and looked over to Jack who stood up quickly.  
  
"We gotta get her outta deah NOW!" He said frantically.   
  
"Calm down Jack deah's nothin we can do....she's stuck." Jackal said walking over to him  
  
"Siddown Kelly, she's stuck in a lone nest. Nothin you can do." Crow looked sharply at him.  
  
"Keep watch Crow inform me of any change." Spot said to the girl. Crow nodded and disappeared out the window.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Raven slumped down to floor below her window and shielded her face in her hands. She looked up as she heard the door creek open and the cop who she had disturbed earlier stepped inside.  
  
"Good to see you're comfortable." He said as he inched towards her. Raven gripped the wall and stood trembling. The door closed and locked. Her eyes widened in fear. She scrambled to the corner as the cop steadily approached her.  
  
"I'm going to teach you what happens when you mess with the law." He snarled at her. He raised his fist and slammed it down against her cheek. Raven flew into the wall and crumbled to the floor. She scurried along the floor as the cop advanced again. She stood quickly as he seized her two wrists. He forced her against the wall with a loud thud. She winced as he kneed her in the groin and proceeded to slap her across the face. She struggled to be freed but was no match for the officer's strength. He gripped her chin tightly and slammed her head back into the wall, lights flashed before her eyes and brilliant colors flew about the room in a whirling buzz. He pulled her lips down onto his own. Raven took her free hand and slapped him across the face and he returned the favor. He shoved his body violently against her own and licked her face. She screamed and struggled harder as she heard him unbuckling his pants.   
  
"Bet your boyfriend has already bedded you." He hissed snake-like into her ear. She began kicking and yelling as he grabbed her breasts roughly with his hands. He tore her shirt in two and yanked her pants off in a simultaneous motion. Raven screamed again his fist collided with her face for another painful blow. His pants dropped to the floor. He thrust himself into her as a blood-curdling scream escaped her lips and the tears flooded her eyes, the harsh pain was more than she could bare. For her it seemed to go on for an endless eternity, her screams echoing back to her in her own brain, singing to her in a haunting lullaby. When he was through with her, he released Raven from the wall. She collapsed in a heap and painful whimpers emerged from her lips.   
  
"Thank You Darling, It was a pleasure." The man flicked a dime at her and slammed the door behind him on his way out.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Spot and Jack slipped in through the gates of the refuge and hurried around the back. Jack stopped at a small window and nodded his towards it alerting Spot. Jack slowly pushed the window open and climbed inside, Spot followed his example easily. They began lurking through the basement until they reached a thick wooden door. Jack pressed on it gently and it creaked open slowly. He slid his head through and rushed into the hallway followed by Jack.  
  
"Da boys bunkroom is ovah heah." Jack whispered to Spot as they creeped down the passageway. Spot nodded and followed Jack's lead. Quickly the two of them slipped into the boys main bunkhouse.  
  
"COWBOY!" Rang throughout the room.  
  
"SSHHH!" Jack hushed them all.   
  
"Any of yous heah a goil come in." Spot asked searching each of their eyes. Jack rolled his own and elaborated on Spot's description.  
  
"A goil who came in heah makin tons a noise a racket, probably faught with da guards on her way in."   
  
"Ya mean da really exoctic lookin one?" One boy answered. He whistled. "Boy was she a lookah." Jack growled at him. Spot pushed Jack back.  
  
"Ya know which room dey put her in?" He asked.  
  
"Yea, fifth floor solitary confinement...but I wouldn't go up deah if I was yous." The boy answered.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"She got a visit from dat new coppah friend of hers...if ya know what I'se sayin Kelly." Jack looked away, down at the floor and murmured curses under his breath. As if instinctively Spot grabbed Jack by the arm and dragged him out of the bunkroom, they searched the hall and took off for the fifth floor.   
  
Raven lifted her head from the floor slowly and touched her swollen face. The tears cascaded down her cheeks mournfully, dripping off her chin making small mud dots on the floor. She heard the door of her cell creak open and she screamed.   
  
Spot and Jack heard the scream and knew who it was immediately, they rushed down the hallway and came to a screeching halt when they saw the warden outside Raven's door. Spot pulled Jack behind a protruding piece of wall.  
  
"We have to clean you up some." The warden sneered at her. Raven's eyes were wide with fear as she crowded closer to the wall. The warden stepped closer to her and Raven slowly stood against the wall.   
  
"Come on now. I'm not going to hurt you." Raven shook her head. The warden suddenly picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. She began kicking and screaming, pounding on his back with her fists.  
  
"LET ME GO! PUT ME DOWN YA DUMB PIG! I'SE GONNA MOIDAH YA! LEMME GO!" She continued screaming as he carried her out of the room.  
  
When the warden turned his back on the boys they stepped out of hiding. Raven stopped fighting with the warden as she stared at Jack. She mouthed "Help me." to him and pleaded with her eyes. Jack was so close to her, yet so far away. He went to reach out to her and pry her away from the warden but Spot pulled his hand back and pulled him at a run for their nearest exit from the refuge.   
  
"SPOT I GOTTA HELP HER!" Jack went to run back inside but Spot grabbed him and slammed him onto the brick wall.  
  
"WE WILL GET HER OUT! I PROMISE YA DAT! BUT GOIN BACK IN DEAH NOW IS LIKE SUICIDE! CALM DOWN! I AIN'T LETTIN HER STAY IN DEAH, SO SIT YER ASS DOWN KELLY AND COOL OFF!" Spot boomed in his face before releasing his grip and turning away from Jack. Jack slumped down to the floor with his head in his hands.   
  
"We'se was so close..."  
  
"Close but not close enough." Spot said lighting a cigarette. Spot and jack sat their outside the refuge gates and waited, they waited for any sign of movement in Raven's room.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This is ridiculous!" Miracle said pacing the floor of the Manhattan bunkroom.  
  
"You got dat kid." Race replied.   
  
"I mean it's two o'clock in da mornin! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS TAKIN DEM SO LONG TO SPRING HER LOOSE!" Oracle flipped out and yelled. Swifty wrapped his arms around her and hushed her.  
  
"Ya know I bet she's in isolation..." Skittery answered.  
  
"Yea...."Mush trailed off.  
  
"Ya know what dey do ta goils in isolation right guys?" Skittery continued.  
  
"SHADDUP GLUM!" Race bellowed.  
  
"Yea let's just hope nothin bad happened to her." Mush countered.  
  
"Sometimes Mushie ya t'ink too bright in life, she's probably beat up and..." Blink responded  
  
"CAN IT BLINK!" Oracle screamed from within Swifty's arms. From the last statement full out arguments and fights erupted in the bunkroom. Crashes and yelling resounded within the walls and the commotion was like a riot full of chaos and rage.   
  
"EVERYONE DAT'S ENOUGH!" Jackal stood in the doorway and yelled.  
  
"Jackal?" Oracle questioned from a headlock given to her by Snoddy.  
  
"SHADDUP! I GOTS NEWS FA YA! SO STOP FIGHTIN AND LISTEN TA ME!" Everyone froze and stared at the girl in the doorway. At that moment Crow appeared next to her with a look of pure worry written on her face. Her black eyes were shining with unshed tears.   
  
"What happened?" Oracle asked, her voice shaking. Crow stepped into the room, her fists opening and closing violently.  
  
"HE TOUCHED HER! DAT BASTARD COPPAH TOUCHED MY SISTAH! HE BEAT DA SHIT OUTTA HER AND DEN HE TOUCHED HER! I'SE GONNA MOIDAH HIM!" She screamed as tears poured down her face. The room was silent, except for the harsh breathing of the newsies. "AND I WATCHED HIM DO IT! NOT ABLE TA DO A FUCKIN T'ING! I WATCHED HIM! I SAW HIM HURT RAVEN!" Crow whipped her body around and slammed her fist into the wall. The plaster went everywhere as he hand got lodged into the wall. She ripped her hand from it and cradled it with her other hand. She crashed to the floor in a sobbing heap. Oracle and Jackal rushed over to her and held the hysterical girl in their arms, trying to soothe her.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"LET ME GO YA FAT IGNAHRAMOUS!" Raven screamed as she was tossed once again into her cell. When the door closed behind her she raced to the window. She made a Raven's cry and hoped to god the boys were still out there.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ya see her yet Spot?" Jack asked from his position leaning against the wall near the gate. A cigarette dangling from his lips.  
  
"Naw.....dey'se still interrogatin her." Spot said staring up at the window to Raven's cell.  
  
"WAIT SPOT YA HEAH DAT!" Jack tossed his cigarette to the ground and straightened up.  
  
"Was dat a.......Raven?" Spot smirked.  
  
"Sounded like a pretty feminine Raven ta me Spot." Jack said smirking as well.  
  
"Good ta know she probably knocked da Warden in da balls ta make him bring her back dis oily." Spot said.  
  
"Well let's get goin!" Jack said grabbing his rope and heading for the fire escape. Spot rolled his eyes and took off after him.   
  
Spot and Jack scurried up the fire escape and rushed along the top of the roof.   
  
"I t'ink she's right undah heah." Jack said.  
  
"Well check wouldja?" Spot asked annoyed. Jack rolled his eyes and tapped three times on the roof. Raven's ears perked up and she slammed herself against the bars. She cried out again as a Raven.  
  
"She right undahneath us." Jack smiled.  
  
"Fa once ya do somet'in right Jackey-boy."   
  
"Yea Yea." Jack stretched out the rope and handed the end to Spot he tied it tightly around his body and hurried over to the edge.  
  
"Ya bettah hurry Jack...ya not a fuckin feathah ya know."  
  
"Screw you Spot!" Spot began to lower Jack down the side of the building.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Dose two boys are good fa shit...I say dat we go ta da refuge ouahselves and get her outta deah" Jackal said within the huddled group of girl's in the lobby of the Manhattan LH.  
  
"Dat's one of da best Idea's yous evah had deah Jackal." Oracle said smiling. They all headed out the door until Jackal turned around sharply and strode over to Miracle.  
  
"No little man stealin shrimps allowed." She said menacingly towards her.  
  
"Oh really?" Miracle questioned straightening up into Jackal's face.  
  
"Yea..." Jackal inched forward more. Suddenly Miracle jumped ontop of her and the began wrestling on the floor as Oracle and Crow urged them to stop. Miracle grabbed a piece of Jackal's hair and pulled it violently. Jackal slammed her fist into Miracle's face and flung her halfway across the room. Jackal lunged forward and the two girls began punching ruthlessly.  
  
"HEY!" They continued to fight and practically murder each other.  
  
"HEY! DIS AIN'T HELPIN RAVEN NONE! STOP IT!" Oracle bellowed. The two fighting girls looked up at her and then at each other before standing up and glaring at one another.   
  
"LETS GO NOW!" Crow yelled and rushed out of the building followed by the other three girls. The group ran all the way to the refuge, just in time to see Jack dangling off the side of the building.  
  
"Bet you he fagot a screwdrivah ta pry da bars off with." Jackal said shaking her head. The other girls laughed and hurried inside the gates.  
  
Jack was lowered perfectly level with Raven's bars. She looked at him and her face went into a scowl.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
"Dis is what!?" She slapped him upside the head. He grabbed it as he held onto the bars.  
  
"What was dat foah?"   
  
"What was dat foah!? Fa takin off and goin ta Santa Fe! Fa almost gettin hung! Fa leavin me behind ya grimy good fa nothin twit!"   
  
"Well what a welcome Ravy!"   
  
"Ya don't deserve a welcome!"  
  
"Shaddup and let me get ya outta heah!"   
  
"I'd raddah rot den let ya touch me evah!"  
  
"FINE RAVE! SPOT PULL ME UP!" Spot was now laughing so hard he couldn't contain himself and let his hand slip almost dropping the rope. "DAMN IT SPOT!"  
  
"Heya Brooklyn!" She looked up at Spot laughing and waved cheerfully. Spot managed to wave back through his chuckles.   
  
The girls below them were all hysterical trying to make it up to the roof, they finally reached Spot.  
  
"Dose two are a piece a woik huh?" Oracle asked.  
  
"Definitely...dey'se gonna get caught." Spot said gripping the rope tighter.   
  
"GOD RAVY I'SE TRYIN TA RESCUE YA HEAH!"   
  
"I AIN'T NO DAMSEL IN DISTRESS! I'LL GET MESELF OUTTA HEAH!  
  
"YA CAN'T EVEN APPRECIATE ME ONCE!"  
  
"um.....NOPE!"  
  
"PULL ME UP! I'SE LEAVIN HER HEAH!"  
  
"JACK DON'T BE STUPID!" Miracle called down to her brother.   
  
"WILL DA TWO A YOUS HURRY DA FUCK UP!" Spot yelled in a whisper down to them.  
  
"SHADDUP!" They replied in unison.   
  
"Ok genius how ya gettin me outta dis joint?" Raven questioned from beyond the bars.  
  
"Threw da bars."   
  
"BRILLIANT PLAN JACK! YER A MORON! SO WHAT ARE YA GONNA USE TA GET ME "THREW" DA BARS!?" Jack stared at her blankly.  
  
"Jack did ya even remembah da crowbah!" Jackal yelled to him.  
  
"Shit!"   
  
'IDIOT!" Raven screamed in his face.   
  
The girls above all started laughing hysterically.   
  
"Good ta see dat ya don't got no brain Jack!" Oracle said through fits of laughter.  
  
"CAN IT!" Jack bellowed.  
  
"Well someone's a tad pissy tonight." Raven said smirking.  
  
"Pussy?" Spot questioned.  
  
"NO!" Jackal screamed and slapped him in the head, he let go of the rope and Jack went jerking downwards. All of the figures on the roof scrambled for it and grabbed it at the same time.   
  
"Good one Jackal! Real Smart!" Spot growled at her.   
  
"SHADDUP!" Jack yelled. "YOUS ALMOST KILLED ME!"  
  
"Like dat would be so bad." Raven stated rolling her eyes.   
  
"You! Quiet!"  
  
"Heads up Jackey-boy!" Spot called to him and tossed the crowbar over the side of the building. Jack caught it quickly and smiled.   
  
"Yer lucky us goils are smart, uddah wise yous wouldn't have nothin ta get her out with." Miracle said.   
  
"Well bravo Jack." Raven said in mock applause and clapped her hands unenthusiastically. Jack rolled his eyes and started to pluck the bars out of their slots.   
  
"Hurry up Jackey-boy! JUST A LITTLE! I AM HOLDIN YA UP YA KNOW!" Spot said through gritted teeth and he tugged harder.   
  
"ONE!" Jack cheered as they heard a bar clink. Raven grabbed it and placed it inside.  
  
"Hurry Jack..." She said urging him on.  
  
"TWO!" Raven took that one also and placed it beside the other one.   
  
"Ravy can ya squeeze?" Jack asked.  
  
"Yea." He flung the crowbar at her, she caught it and placed it on the floor next to the other bars.   
  
"Come on." He motioned to her with his hands. Raven hoisted herself onto her stomach threw the window. Jack gripped her underneath her armpits and helped her through. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he scooped his arm underneath her knees. Spot pulled on back the rope and began to hoist them up quickly. As soon as they reached the roof, Jack placed Raven on the ledge and climbed up himself.   
  
"Cheese it!" Immediately the group rushed from the roof and across the courtyard of the refuge. They climbed the gate easily and jumped to the other side. Spot slipped his arm around Jackal's waist and led her towards Brooklyn as Miracle frowned at them. Oracle began nudging Miracle towards the Manhattan lodging house.  
  
"WHAT!?" Miracle snapped. Oracle grabbed her face and flung it towards Jack and Raven staring at each other three feet apart.   
  
"THAT!" Oracle pointed at them.  
  
"o.O." Miracle let out a nervous laugh. "That..." Oracle grabbed her arm and began leading her back to the lodging house, leaving Raven and Jack.....alone. Jack walked over to her slowly as Raven just stared at him approaching her. He stood in front of her, waiting for her to say something but Raven was at a loss for words, all the moisture from her mouth was gone and she tried to swallow but found she couldn't. Jack inched even closer, he slid his hand over her cheek and cupped it gently. Slowly he bent his head down to hers and tapped his lips sweetly over her sinfully dark ones. Raven pulled back quickly and slapped him across the face.  
  
"FUCK!"  
  
"WELL YA DESERVE IT YA STUPID ASSHOLE!" Raven screamed. Jack threw his hands up in the air, giving up on what they had, and turned away from her heading back to the lodging house. Raven hurried over to him and grabbed his arm flinging him around to face her. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled his lips down to hers. He kissed her back smoothly, letting the chocolate of her mouth fill him with the sweet aphrodisiac. Raven slid her arms around his neck as he snaked his around her waist pulling her closer to him. Raven let the wave tingles over take her and the joy of kissing him fill her body, it brought tears to her eyes and they streamed down her cheeks in happy rivulets, coursing down Jack's face as well. He slowly pulled away from her and wiped a tear with his thumb, he smiled at her and she smiled back at him. Jack pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear.  
  
"Ravy, I'se so sorry for evah hoitin ya...fagive me...ya don't have ta...but please...cuz I love ya Raven....I love ya."   
  
Raven lifted her lips to his ear and replied in a soft whisper.  
  
"Good cuz I love ya too Jack Kelly." She smiled and stared into his familiar laughing eyes. Jack wrapped an arm around his girl's waist and Raven leaned her head on his shoulder. They walked slowly, strolling along the sidewalk, talking to each other. Taking in the night air and each other.   
  
THE END  
  
A/N It's over I know....but didn't it end loverly hehe. OH THIS IS WHY I'M A/NING hehe  
  
FROGGIE MY BOY! YOU RULE BUNCHES! EEP!Everyone must read his story when the next chappy comes out....DANCE TILL I DIE! fame/newsies crossover! I'M SO EXCITED EEPERS! 


End file.
